THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

PRESENTED  BY 

PROF.  CHARLES  A.  KOFOID  AND 
MRS.  PRUDENCE  W.  KOFOID 


AMERICAN  PIONEERS  AND  PATRIOTS. 

BENJAMIN     FRANKLIN. 

A   PICTURE   OF   THE 

STRUGGLES   OF   OUR    INFANT   NATION, 
ONE    HUNDRED    YEARS    AGO. 

BY 

JOHN     S.     C.     ABBOTT. 

"  Print  me  as  I  am." — CROMWELL. 


NEW    YORK: 
DODD,     MEAD     &     COMPANY 

751  BROADWAY. 


COPYRIGHT. 
DODD,    MEAD    &    COMPANY, 

1876. 


PREFACE. 


NEXT  to  George  Washington,  we  must  write, 
upon  the  Catalogue  of  American  Patriots,  the  name 
of  Benjamin  Franklin.  He  had  so  many  virtues  that 
there  is  no  need  of  exaggerating  them  ;  so  few 
imperfections  that  they  need  not  be  concealed.  The 
writer  has  endeavored  to  give  a  perfectly  accurate 
view  of  his  character,  and  of  that  great  struggle,  in 
which  he  took  so  conspicuous  a  part,  which  secured 
the  Independence  of  the  United  States.  Probably 
there  can  no  where  be  found,  within  the  same  limits, 
so  vivid  a  picture  of  Life  in  America,  one  hundred 
years  ago,  as  the  career  of  Franklin  presents. 

This  volume  is  the  twelfth  of  the  Library  Series 
of  Pioneers  and  Patriots.  The  series  presents  a 
graphic  history  of  our  country  from  its  discovery. 

1.  Christopher  Columbus  reveals  to  us  the  West 
Indies,  and  gives  a  narrative  of  wonders  unsurpassed 
in  fact  or  fable. 

2.  De  Soto  conducts  us  to  Florida,  and  leads  us 


IV  PREFACE. 

through  scenes  of  romance,  crime,  blood  and  woe — 
through  many  Indian  tribes,  across  the  continent,  to 
the  Mississippi,  where  he  finds  his  melancholy  grave. 

3.  La  Salle,  and  his  heroic  companions,  traversed 
thousands  of  miles  of  majestic  lakes  and  unknown 
rivers,  and   introduces    us    to  innumerable  barbaric 
tribes.     There  is  no  other  writer,  who,  from  his  own 
personal  observation,  can  give  one  so  vivid  an   idea 
of  Life  in  the  Indian  village  and  wigwam. 

4.  Miles  Standish  was  the  Captain  of  the  Pilgrims. 
He    conducts   us   in   the    May   Flower,    across   the 
Atlantic,  lands  us  at  Plymouth,  and  tells  the   never 
to  be  forgotten  story  of  the  heroism  of  our  fathers 
in  laying  the  foundations  of  this  great  republic. 

5.  Captain  Kidd,  and  the  Buccaneers,  reveal  to  us 
the  awful  condition  of  North  and  South  America, 
when  there  was  no  protecting  law  here,  and  when 
pirates  swept  sea  and  land,  inflicting  atrocities,  the 
narrative  of  which  causes  the  ear  which  hears  it  to 
tingle. 

6.  Peter  Stuyvesant  takes  us  by  the  hand,   and 
introduces  us  to  the  Dutch  settlement  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Hudson,  conveys  us,  in  his  schooner,  up  the 
solitary    river,   along    whose    forest-covered    banks 
Indian  villages  were  scattered ;  and  reveals  to  us  all 
the  struggles,  by  which  the  Dutch  New  Amsterdam 
was  converted  into  the  English  New  York. 


PREFACE.  V 

7.  Benjamin  Franklin  should  chronologically  take 
his  place  here.     There  is  probably  not,  in  the  com 
pass  of  all  literature,  a  biography  more  full  of  enter 
tainment    and    valuable     thought,    than    a   truthful 
sketch    of    the   career   of  Benjamin    Franklin.     He 
leads  us  to  Philadelphia,  one  hundred  and  fifty  years 
ago,  and  makes  us  perfectly  familiar  with  life  there 
and  then.     He  conducts  us  across  the  Atlantic  to  the 
Court   of  St.  James,  and    the  Court   of  Versailles. 
There  is  no  writer,  French  or  English,  who  has  given 
such  vivid  sketches  of  the  scenes  which  were  wit 
nessed  there,  as  came   from    the   pen    of  Benjamin 
Franklin.     For  half  a  century  Franklin  moved  amid 
the   most  stupendous  events,  a  graphic  history  of 
which  his  pen  has  recorded. 

8.  George  Washington  has  no  superior.    Humanity 
is  proud  of  his  name.     He  seems  to  have  approached 
as   near  perfection  as  any  man  who  ever  lived.     In 
his  wonderful  career  we  became  familiar  with  all  the 
struggles    of    the    American    Revolution.     With    a 
feeble  soldiery,  collected  from  a  population  of  less 
than  three  millions  of  people,  he  baffled  all  the  efforts 
of  the  fleets  and  armies  of  Great  Britain,  the  most 
powerful  empire  upon  this  globe. 

9.  Daniel  Boone  was  the  Cowper  of  the  wilderness  ; 
a  solitary  man  loving  the  silent  companionship    of 
the  woods.     He  leads  us  across  the  Alleghanies  to 


VI  PREFACE. 

the  fields  of  Kentucky,  before  any  white  man's  foot 
had  traversed  those  magnificent  realms.  No  tale  of 
romance  could  ever  surpass  his  adventures  with  the 
Indians. 

10.  Kit  Carson   was  the  child  of  the  wilderness. 
He  was  by  nature  a  gentleman,  and  one  of  the  most 
lovable  of  men.     His  weird-like  life  passed   rapidly 
away,  before  the  introduction  of  railroads  and  steam 
boats.     His  strange,  heroic  adventures  are  ever  read 
with   astonishment,   and    they  invariably  secure  for 
him  the  respect  and  affection  of  all  who  become  fa 
miliar  with  his  name. 

11.  Paul  Jones  was  one  of  the  purest  patriots,  and 
perhaps  the  most  heroic  naval  hero,  to  whom  any 
country  has  given  birth.     He  has  been  so  traduced, 
by  the  tory  press  of  Great  Butain,  that    even    the 
Americans  have  not  yet  done  him  full  justice.     This 
narrative   of  his  astonishing   achievements  will,  it  is 
hoped,  give  him  rank,  in  the  opinion  of  every  reader, 
with  Washington,  Franklin,  Jefferson  and  Lafayette. 

12.  David  Crockett  was  a  unique  man.     There  is 
no  one  like  him.    Under  no  institutions  but  ours  could 
such  a  character  be  formed.     From  a  log  hut,  more 
comfortless   than   the   wigwam  of  the    savage,   and 
without  being  able  either  to  read  or  write,  he  enters 
legislative  halls,  takes  his  seat  in  Congress,  and  makes 
the  tour  of  our  great  cities,  attracting  crowds  to  hear 


PREFACE.  vii 

him  speak.     His  life  is  a  wild  romance  of  undoubted 
truth. 

Such  is  the  character  of  this  little  library  of 
twelve  volumes.  The  writer,  who  has  now  entered 
the  evening  of  life,  affectionately  commends  them  to 
the  young  men  of  America,  upon  whose  footsteps 
their  morning  sun  is  now  rising.  The  life  of  each 
one,  if  prolonged  to  three  score  years  and  ten,  will 
surely  prove  a  stormy  scene.  But  it  may  end  in  a 
serene  and  tranquil  evening,  ushering  in  the  glories 
of  an  immortal  day. 

JOHN  S.  C.  ABBOTT. 

FAIR  HAVEN,  CONN. 

As  this  is  not  improbably  the  last  book  I  shall 
write,  it  may  not  be  improper  for  me  to  state  that, 
at  the  age  of  twenty-four,  I  commenced  the  career 
of  an  author,  by  writing  "  The  Mother  At  Home." 
I  have  now  attained  the  age  of  three  score  years  and 
ten.  In  the  meantime  I  have  written  fifty  four  vol 
umes  of  History  or  Biography.  In  every  one  it  has 
been  my  endeavor  to  make  the  inhabitants  of  this 
sad  world  more  brotherly, — better  and  happier. 

The  long  series  is  probably  closed  with  the  biog 
raphy  of  Benjamin  Franklin.  Every  page  has  been 
penned  under  this  impression.  A  theme  more  full 
of  instruction  and  interest  could  not  be  chosen. 


vni  PREFACE. 

And  now,  in  my  declining  years,  as  I  feel  that 
the  battle  has  been  fought  and,  I  hope,  the  victory 
won,  it  is  an  unspeakable  comfort  for  me  to  reflect, 
that,  in  all  these  fifty-four  volumes,  there  is  not  one 
line  which,  "  dying,  I  could  wish  to  blot." 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 
Parentage  and  Early  Life. 

PAGE 

The  parentage  of  Franklin — His  parents  emigrate  to  America — 
Character  of  his  father — Abiah  Folger,  his  mother — Birth 
and  baptism — Influence  of  his  Uncle  Strong — Of  the  Whis 
tie — Childish  exploits — Uncongenial  employment — Skill  in 
swimming — Early  reading — Boston  at  that  time — An  in 
dentured  apprentice — Form  of  Indenture — Enters  a  print 
ing  office — Fondness  for  reading — Anecdotes — Habits  of 
study — Fondness  for  argument — Adopts  a  vegetable  diet — 
The  two  creeds. .  II 


CHAPTER  II. 

Developments  of  Character. 

Views  of  the  Sabbath— Writings  of  Collins  and  Shaftsbury— The 
creed  of  Collins — Franklin  at  sixteen — The  Courant — De 
nunciations  of  the  paper — Franklin's  mode  of  acquiring  the 
art  of  composition — His  success  as  a  writer — The  Editor 
prosecuted — Benjamin  becomes  Editor  and  Publisher — Jeal 
ousy  of  his  brother — The  runaway  apprentice — The  voyage 
to  New  York — Great  disappointment — Eventful  Journey  to 
Philadelphia  —  Gloomy  prospects — The  dawn  of  brighter 
days 31 


6  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  III. 
Excursion  to  England. 

PAGE 

Attention  to  dress — Receives  a  visit  from  Gov.  Keith — His  visit 
to  Boston — Collins  returns  to  Philadelphia  ^vith  him — Sir 
William  Keith's  aid— Excursions  on  the  Sabuath — Difficulty 
with  Collins — Spending  Mr.  Vernon's  money — His  three 
friends — Engagement  with  Deborah  Read — Voyage  to  Eng 
land — Keith's  deceit — Ralph — Franklin  enters  a  printing 
house  in  London 52 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Mental  and  Moral  Conflicts. 

Faithfulness  to  work — Neglect  of  Deborah  Read — Treatise  on 
Liberty  and  '  Necessity — Skill  in  swimming — Return  to 
America — Marriage  of  Miss  Read — Severe  sickness — Death 
of  Mr.  Denham — Returns  to  Keimer's  employ — The  Junto 
— His  Epitaph — Reformation  of  his  treatise  on  Liberty  and 
Necessity — Franklin's  creed 75 


CHAPTER  V. 

The  Dawn  of  Prosperity. 

Franklin  takes  a  house — His  first  job — His  industry — Plans  a 
Newspaper — Enters  the  list  as  a  writer — Advocates  a  Paper 
currency — Purchases  Keimer's  paper — Character  of  Meredith 
— Struggles  of  the  firm — Unexpected  assistance — Dissolves 
partnership  with  Meredith — Franklin's  energetic  conduct —  ^/' 
His  courtship,  and  marriage — Character  of  Mrs.  Franklin — 
Increase  of  luxury — Plans  for  a  library — Prosperity  of  Penn 
sylvania — Customs  in  Philadelphia — Style  of  dress  in  1726 — 
Franklin's  social  position  in  Philadelphia — His  success — A 
hard  student.. .  .  101 


CONTENTS.  7 

CHAPTER  VI. 
Religious  and  Philosophic   Views. 

PAGE 

Studious  habits — New  religion — Personal  habits — Church  of  the 
Free  and  Easy — His  many  accomplishments — The  career  of 
Hemphall — Birth  and  Death  of  Franklin's  son — The  Min 
istry  of  Whitefield — Remarkable  friendship  between  the  phil 
osopher  and  the  preacher — Prosperity  of  Franklin — His  con 
vivial  habits  —  The  defense  of  Philadelphia — Birth  of  a 
daughter — The  Philadelphia  Academy 126 

CHAPTER  VII. 

The  Tradesman  becomes  a  Philosopher. 

Franklin  appointed  Indian  commissioner — Effects  of  Rum — 
Indian  logic — Accumulating  honors — Benevolent  enterprises 
— Franklin's  counsel  to  Tennent — Efforts  for  city  improve 
ment — Anecdotes — Franklin  appointed  postmaster — Rumors 
of  War — England  enlists  the  Six  Nations  in  her  cause — 
Franklin  plans  a  Confederacy  of  States — Plans  rejected — 
Electrical  experiments — Franklin's  increase  of  income — 
Fearful  experiments — The  kite — New  honors — Views  of  the 
French  philosopher — Franklin's  Religious  views — His  coun 
sel  to  a  young  pleader — Post  office  Reforms. 147 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

The  Rising  Storms  of  War. 

Aristocracy — Anecdote — Conflicting  laws  of  Nations — Franklin's 
scheme  of  colonization — Proposal  of  the  British  Court — The 
foresight  of  Franklin — Braddock's  campaign — Remonstran 
ces  of  Franklin  and  Washington  —  Franklin's  interviews 
with  Braddock  — Franklin's  efficiency — Confidence  of  Brad- 
dock — The  conflict  with  the  Proprietaries — The  non-resis- 


8  CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

tant  Quakers — Fate  of  the  Moravian  villages — The  winter 
campaign — The  camp  of  Gaudenhutton — Anecdote — Re 
newal  of  the  strife  with  the  Proprietaries — Franklin  recalled 
to  assist  the  Assembly — Destruction  of  the  Fort — Claim  of 
the  Proprietaries — The  great  controversy 168 

CHAPTER  IX. 

Franklin's  Mission  to  England. 

New  marks  of  respect — Lord  Loudoun — Gov.  Denny  and  Frank 
lin — Visit  the  Indians — Franklin  commissioner  to  England 
— His  constant  good  nature — Loudoun's  delays — Wise  action 
of  an  English  captain — The  voyagers  land  at  Falmouth — 
Journey  to  London — Franklin's  style  of  living  in  London — 
His  electrical  experiments — He  teaches  the  Cambridge  pro 
fessor — Complimentary  action  of  St.  Andrews — Gov.  Denny 
displaced,  and  dark  clouds  arising — Franklin's  successful 
diplomacy — His  son  appointed  Governor  of  New  Jersey — 
Great  opposition — The  homeward  voyage — Savage  horrors — 
Retaliating  cruelties — Franklin's  efforts  in  behalf  of  the 
Moravian  Indians 190 

CHAPTER  X. 

Franklin's  Second  Mission  to  England. 

Fiendish  conduct  of  John  Penn — Petition  to  the  crown — Debt  of 
England — Two  causes  of  conflict — Franklin  sent  to  Eng 
land — His  embarkation — Wise  counsel  to  his  daughter — The 
stamp  act — American  resolves — Edmund  Burke — Examina 
tion  of  Franklin — Words  of  Lord  Chatham — Dangers  to 
English  operatives — Repeal  of  the  stamp  act — Joy  in  Amer 
ica — Ross  Mackay — New  taxes  levied — Character  of  George 
III — Accumulation  of  honors  to  Franklin — Warlike  prep 
arations — Human  conscientiousness — Unpopularity  of  Wil 
liam  Franklin — Marriage  of  Sarah  Franklin — Franklin's 
varied  investigations — Efforts  to  civilize  the  Sandwich 
Islands 215 


CONTENTS.  9 

CHAPTER  XI. 
The  Intolerance  of  King  and  Court. 

rAGB 

Parties  in  England — Franklin  the  favorite  of  the  opposition — 
Plans  of  the  Tories— Christian  III — Letter  of  Franklin — Dr. 
Priestley — Parisian  courtesy — Louis  XV — Visit  to  Ireland — 
Attempted  alteration  of  the  Prayer  Book — Letter  to  his  son 
— Astounding  letters  from  America — Words  of  John  Adams 
— Petition  of  the  Assembly — Violent  conspiracy  against 
Franklin — His  bearing  in  the  court-room — Wedderburn's 
infamous  charges — Letter  of  Franklin — Bitter  words  of  Dr. 
Johnson — Morals  of  English  lords — Commercial  value  of  the 
Colonies — Dangers  threatening  Franklin , 240 


CHAPTER  XII. 
The  Bloodhounds  of  War  Unleashed. 

The  mission  of  Josiah  Quincy — Love  of  England  by  the  Ameri 
cans — Petition  to  the  king — Sickness  and  death  of  Mrs. 
Franklin — Lord  Chatham — His  speech  in  favor  of  the  col 
onists — Lord  Howe — His  interview  with  Franklin — Firm 
ness  of  Franklin — His  indignation — His  mirth — Franklin's 
fable — He  embarks  for  Philadelphia — Feeble  condition  of 
the  colonies — England's  expressions  of  contempt — Franklin's 
reception  at  Philadelphia — His  letter  to  Edmund  Burke — 
Post  office  arrangements — Defection  and  conduct  of  William 
Franklin — His  arrest 265 

CHAPTER  XIIL 

Progress  of  the  War,  both  of  Diplomacy  and 
the  Sword. 

Letter  of  Henry  Laurens — Franklin  visits  the  army  before  Boston 
— Letter  of  Mrs.  Adams— Burning  of  Falmouth — Franklin's 
journey  to  Montreal — The  Declaration  of  Independence — 


10  CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

Anecdote  of  the  Hatter — Framing  the  Constitution — Lord 
Howe's  Declaration — Franklin's  reply — The  Conference — 
Encouraging  letter  from  France — Franklin's  embassy  to 
France — The  two  parties  in  France — The  voyage — The 
reception  in  France 292 

CHAPTER   XIV. 
The  Struggles  of  Diplomacy. 

Anecdote  of  Gibbon — John  Adams — Residence  at  Passy — La 
fayette  introduced — Cruise  of  the  Reprisal — Paul  Jones — 
Capture  of  Burgoyne — Alliance  with  France — Anecdote  of 
the  Cake — Excitement  in  England — Franklin's  introduction 
to  the  king — Joy  in  America — Extraordinary  letter  of  Count 
Wissenstein — The  reply — Injustice  to  Paul  Jones — French 
troops  in  America — Character  of  John  Adams — Franklin's 
mature  views  of  human  nature — Anecdote  of  the  Angel  — 
Capture  of  Cornwallis — Its  effect  in  England — Prejudices  of 
Mr.  Jay — Testimony  of  Dr.  Sparks — Jealousy  of  Franklin — 
Shrewd  diplomatic  act — The  treaty  signed 322 

CHAPTER   XV. 

Life's  Closing  Scenes. 

Advice  to  Thomas  Paine — Scenes  at  Passy — Journey  to  the  Coast 
— Return  to  America — Elected  Governor  of  Pennsylvania — 
Attends  the  Constitutional  Convention — Proposes  prayers — 
Remarkable  speech — Letter  to  Dr.  Stiles — Christ  on  the 
Cross — Last  sickness  and  death 356 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 


CHAPTER   I. 

Parentage  and  Early  Life. 

The  parentage  of  Franklin. — His  parents  emigrate  to  America. — Char 
acter  of  his  father. — Abiah  Folger,  his  mother. — Birth  and  bap 
tism. — Influence  of  his  Uncle  Strong. — Of  the  Whistle. — Childish 
exploits. — Uncongenial  employment. — -Skill  in  swimming. — Early 
reading. — Boston  at  that  time. — An  indentured  apprentice. — Form 
of  Indenture. — Enters  a  printing  office. — Fondness  for  reading. — 
Anecdotes. — Habits  of  study. — Fondness  for  argument. — Adopts 
a  vegetable  diet. — The  two  creeds. 

ABOUT  the  year  1685,  Josiah  Franklin,  with  his 
wife  and  three  children,  emigrated  from  Banbury, 
England,  to  seek  his  fortune  in  this  new  world.  He 
was  in  all  respects  a  very  worthy  man,  intelligent, 
industrious,  and  influenced  to  conduct  by  high 
moral  and  religious  principles.  Several  of  Josiah 
Franklin's  neighbors  accompanied  him  in  his  re 
moval. 

Boston  was  then  a  straggling  village,  of  five  or 


12  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

six  thousand  inhabitants.  In  front  spread  out  its 
magnificent  bay,  with  its  beautiful  islands.  In  the 
rear  the  primeval  forest  extended,  almost  unbroken, 
through  unexplored  wilds  to  the  Pacific.  His  trade 
was  that  of  a  dyer.  Finding,  however,  but  little  em 
ployment  in  that  business,  he  set  up  as  a  tallow 
chandler  and  soap  boiler.  Four  years  of  life's  usual 
joys  and  sorrows  passed  away  when  Mrs.  Franklin 
died,  leaving  six  children.  The  eldest  was  but 
eleven  years  of  age.  This  motherless  little  family 
needed  a  maternal  guardian.  Within  the  year,  Mr. 
Franklin  married  Abiah  Folger,  of  Nantucket.  She 
was  the  youngest  daughter  of  Peter  Folger,  a  man 
illustrious  for  many  virtues,  and  of  whom  it  has  been 
well  said,- that  "  he  was  worthy  to  be  the  grand 
father  of  Benjamin  Franklin."  She  proved  to  be  a 
noble  woman,  and  was  all  that  either  husband  or 
children  could  wish  for.  Ten  children  were  the 
fruit  of  this  union.  Benjamin  was  born  on  the 
sixth  of  January,  (O.  S.)  1706. 

He  was  born  in  the  morning  of  a  Sabbath 
day.  His  father  then  resided  directly  opposite  the 
Old  South  Church,  in  Milk  street.  The  same  day, 
the  babe,  whose  renown  it  was  then  little  imagined 
would  subsequently  fill  the  civilized  world,  was 
wrapped  in  blankets,  and  carried  by  his  father  across 
the  street  through  the  wintry  air,  to  the  Old  South 


PARENTAGE  AND   EARLY   LIFE.  13 

Church,  where  he  was  baptized  by  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Willard.  He  was  named  Benjamin,  after  a  much 
beloved  uncle  then  residing  in  England.  This  uncle 
was  a  man  of  some  property,  of  decided  literary 
tastes,  and  of  the  simple,  fervent  piety,  which  char 
acterized  the  best  people  of  those  days.  He  took 
an  ever  increasing  interest  in  Benjamin.  He  event 
ually  came  over  to  this  country,  and  exerted  a 
powerful  influence  in  moulding  the  character  of  his 
nephew,  whose  brilliant  intellect  he  appreciated. 

Soon  after  the  birth  of  Benjamin,  his  father 
removed  to  a  humble  but  comfortable  dwelling  at 
the  corner~of  Hanover  and  Union  streets.  Here  he 
passed  the  remainder  of  his  days.  When  Franklin 
had  attained  the  age  of  five  years,  a  terrible  confla 
gration  took  place,  since  known  as  the  Great  Boston 
Fire.  Just  as  the  cold  blasts  of  winter  began  to 
sweep  the  streets,  this  great  calamity  occurred. 
The  whole  heart  of  the  thriving  little  town  was  laid 
in '  ashes.  Over  a  hundred  families  found  them 
selves  in  destitution  in  the  streets. 

An  incident  took  place  when  Franklin  was  about 
seven  years  of  age,  which  left  so  indelible  an  im 
pression  upon  his  mind,  that  it  cannot  be  omitted 
in  any  faithful  record  of  his  life.  He  gave  the  follow 
ing  account  of  the  event  in  his  autobiography,  writ 
ten  after  the  lapse  of  sixty-six  years : 


14  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

"  My  friends,  on  a  holiday,  filled  my  pockets  with 
coppers.  I  went  directly  to  a  shop  where  they  sold 
toys  for  children ;  and  being  charmed  with  the 
sound  of  a  whistle  that  I  met  by  the  way  in  the 
hands  of  another  boy,  I  voluntarily  gave  all  my 
money  for  one.  I  then  came  home  and  went  whist 
ling  all  over  the  house,  much  pleased  with  my 
whistle,  but  disturbing  all  the  family.  My  brothers 
and  sisters  and  cousins,  understanding  the  bargain 
I  had  made,  told  me  that  I  had  given  four  times  as 
much  for  it  as  it  was  worth  ;  put  me  in  mind  what 
good  things  I  might  have  bought  with  the  rest  of 
the  money ;  and  laughed  at  me  so  much  for  my 
folly,  that  I  cried  with  vexation  ;  and  the  reflection 
gave  me  more  chagrin  than  the  whistle  gave  me 
pleasure." 

This  story,  as  published  by  Franklin,  with  his 
keen  practical  reflections,  has  become  as  a  house 
hold  word  in  all  the  families  of  England  and  Ameri 
ca  ;  and  has  been  translated  into  nearly  all  the  lan 
guages  of  modern  Europe. 

From  early  childhood  Franklin  was  celebrated 
for  his  physical  beauty,  his  athletic  vigor  and  his 
imperturbable  good  nature.  His  companions  inva 
riably  recognized  him  as  their  natural  leader.  He 
was  in  no  respect  what  would  be  called  a  religious 
boy,  but  in  many  things  he  had  a  high  sense  of  honor. 


PARENTAGE  AND   EARLY  LIFE.  15 

There  was  a  marsh,  flooded  at  high  tides,  where 
the  boys  used  to  fish  for  minnows.  Much  tram 
pling  had  converted  the  spot  into  a  quagmire.  A 
man  was  about  to  build  a  house  near  by,  and  had 
carted  a  large  quantity  of  stones  for  the  cellar. 
Franklin  called  the  boys  together  and  suggested 
that  they  should  go  in  the  evening,  take  those 
stones,  and  build  a  wharf  upon  which  they  could 
stand  with  dry  feet.  It  was  done.  And  under  the 
skilful  engineering  of  the  youthful  Franklin,  it  was 
quite  scientifically  done.  Complaints  and  detection 
followed.^  Josiah  Franklin  severely  reproved  Benja 
min  for  the  dishonest  act,  but  it  does  not  appear 
that  the  conscience  of  the  precocious  boy  was  much 
troubled.  He  argued  very  forcibly  that  the  utility 
of  the  measure  proved  its  necessity. 

At  the  age  of  eight  years,  Benjamin  entered  the 
Boston  Grammar  School.  His  progress  was  very 
rapid,  and  at  the  close  of  the  year  he  was  at  the 
head  of  his  class.  The  father  had  hoped  to  give  his 
promising  boy  a  liberal  education ;  but  his  large 
family  and  straitened  circumstances  rendered  it 
necessary  for  him  to  abandon  the  plan.  At  the  age 
of  ten  years  his  school  life  was  completed,  and  he 
was  taken  into  his  father's  shop  to  run  of  errands, 
and  to  attend  to  the  details  of  candle-making,  cut 
ting  wicks,  filling  moulds,  and  waiting  upon  cus- 


1 6  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

tomers.  He  could  write  a  good  hand,  could  read 
fluently,  could  express  himself  with  ease  on  paper, 
but  in  all  arithmetical  studies  was  very  backward. 

There  is  scarcely  any  sport  which  has  such  a 
charm  for  boys  as  swimming.  Franklin  excelled  all 
his  companions.  It  is  reported  that  -his  skill  was 
wonderful ;  and  that  at  any  time  between  his  twelfth 
and  sixtieth  year,  he  could  with  ease  have  swum 
across  the  Hellespont.  In  his  earliest  years,  in  all 
his  amusements  and  employments,  his  inventive 
genius  was  at  work  in  searching  out  expedients. 
To  facilitate  rapidity  in  swimming  he  formed  two 
oval  pallets,  much  resembling  those  used  by  paint 
ers,  about  ten  inches  long,  and  six  broad.  A  hole 
was  cut  for  the  thumb  and  they  were  bound  fast  to 
the  palm  of  the  hand.  Sandals  of  a  somewhat  similar 
construction  were  bound  to  the  soles  of  the  feet. 
With  these  appliances  Franklin  found  that  he  could 
swim  more  rapidly,  but  his  wrists  soon  became 
greatly  fatigued.  The  sandals  also  he  found  of 
little  avail,  as  in  swimming,  the  propelling  stroke  is 
partly  given  by  the  inside  of  the  feet  and  ankles,  and 
not  entirely  by  the  soles  of  the  feet. 

In  the  vicinity  of  Boston  there  was  a  pond  a 
mile  wide.  Franklin  made  a  large  paper  kite,  and 
when  the  wind  blew  strongly  across  the  pond,  he 
raised  it,  and  entering  the  water  and  throwing  him- 


PARENTAGE  AND   EARLY   LIFE.  17 

self  upon  his  back  was  borne  rapidly  to  the  opposite 
shore.  "  The  motion,"  he  says,  "  was  exceedingly 
agreeable."  A  boy  carried  his  clothes  around. 
Subsequently  he  wrote  to  M.  Duborg, 

"  I  have  never  since  that  time  practiced  this 
singular  mode  of  swimming ;  though  I  think  it  not 
impossible  to  cross  in  this  manner  from  Dover  to 
Calais.  The  packet  boat,  however,  is  still  pre 
ferable."  * 

The  taste  for  reading  of  this  wonderful  boy  was 
insatiable.  He  had  access,  comparatively,  to  few 
books,  burthose  he  devoured  with  the  utmost  eager 
ness.  Bunyan's  Pilgrim's  Progress  was,  so  to  speak, 
his  first  love.  Having  read  and  re-read  it  until  his 
whole  spirit  was  incorporated  with  its  nature,  he 
sold  the  volume  and  purchased  Burton's  Historical 
Collections.  This  consisted  of  .quite  a  series  of 
anecdotes  and  adventures,  written  in  an  attractive 
style,  and  published  at  a  low  price.  In  those  early 
years  he  read  another  book  which  exerted  a  power 
ful  influence  in  the  formation  of  his  character.  When 
eighty  years  of  age  he  alludes  as  follows  to  this 
work  in  a  letter  to  Mr.  Samuel  Mather,  who  was 
son  of  the  author,  Cotton  Mather, 

"  When  I  was  a  boy  I  met  with  a  book  entitled 
'  Essays  to  do  Good,'  which  I  think  was  written  by 

*  Sparks'  Life  and  Works  of  Franklin,  Vol.  6,  p.  291. 


1 8  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

your  father.  It  had  been  so  little  regarded  by  a 
former  possessor  that  several  leaves  of  it  were  torn 
out ;  but  the  remainder  gave  me  such  a  turn  of 
thinking,  as  to  have  an  influence  on  my  conduct 
through  life ;  for  I  have  always  set  a  greater  value 
on  the  character  of  a  doer  of  good,  than  on  any 
other  kind  of  a  reputation  ;  and  if  I  have  been,  as 
you  seem  to  think,  a  useful  citizen,  the  public  owe 
the  advantage  of  it  to  that  book."  * 

When  Franklin  was  twelve  years  of  age,  the 
population  of  Boston  had  increased  to  about  ten 
thousand.  An  incident  is  recorded  of  Franklin  at 
this  time,  which  strikingly  illustrates  the  peculiarity 
of  his  mental  structure  and  the  want  of  reverence 
with  which  he  gradually  accustomed  himself  to  re 
gard  religious  things.  His  father's  habit,  in  the  long 
graces  which  preceded  each  meal,  rather  wearied 
the  temper  of  his  son.  The  precocious  young 
skeptic,  with  characteristic  irreverence,  ventured  to 
say, 

"  I  think,  father,  that  if  you  were  to  say  grace 
over  the  whole  cask,  once  for  all,  it  would  save 
time."  f 

This  was  the  remark  of  a  boy  but  twelve  years 
of  age.  Though  it  does  not  indicate  a  very  devout 

*  This  volume  has  been  re-published  by  the  Mass.  S.  S.  Society, 
f  Works  of  Dr.  Franklin  by  W.  Temple  Franklin.    Vol.  I,  p.  447. 


PARENTAGE  AND   EARLY   LIFE.  19 

spirit,  it  certainly  gives  evidence  of  an  intellect  of 
unusual  acuteness. 

Franklin  ever  spoke  of  his  boyhood  as  the  very 
happy  period  of  a  remarkably  happy  life.  His  pe 
culiar  temperament  enabled  him  to  be  happy  under 
circumstances  in  which  others  would  have  been 
very  miserable.  His  affections  in  after  years  ever 
yearned  toward  Boston ;  he  was  accustomed  to 
speak  of  it  as  "  that  beloved  place."  In  one  of  his 
letters  to  John  Lathrop  he  wrote, 

"  The  Boston  manner,  the  turn  of  phrase,  and 
even  tone  of  voice  and  accent  in  pronunciation,  all 
please  and  seem  to  revive  and  refresh  me." 

For  two  years  Benjamin  continued  to  assist  his 
father  in  the  business  of  soap  and  candle  making. 
He  was  continually  looking  for  an  opportunity  to 
escape  the  drudgery  of  that  employment  and  enter 
upon  some  more  congenial  business.  Like  most 
adventurous  boys,  he  thought  much  of  the  romance 
of  a  sea-life.  An  elder  brother  had  run  away,  had 
gone  to  sea,  and  for  years  had  not  been  heard  from. 
Benjamin's  father  became  very  anxious  as  he  wit 
nessed  the  discontent  of  his  son.  This  anxiety  was 
increased  when  an  elder  brother  married,  removed 
to  Rhode  Island,  and  set  up  a  soap  and  candle 
establishment  for  himself.  This  seemed  to  Benja 
min  to  rivet  the  chains  which  bound  him  at  home. 


2O  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

Apparently  his  father  could  not  spare  him  from  the 
business.  Thus  he  seemed  doomed  to  spend  the 
remainder  of  his  days  in  employment  which  proved 
to  him  increasingly  uncongenial. 

The  judicious  father,  apprehensive  that  his  son 
might  be  lured  secretly  to  embark  for  some  distant 
voyage,  visited  with  his  son  all  the  varied  work 
shops  of  Boston,  that  he  might  select  that  trade 
which  to  him  would  seem  most  desirable.  Benja 
min  examined  all  these  workshops  with  intensest 
interest.  He  selected  the  employment  of  a  cutler, 
and  entered  upon  the  business  for  a  few  days  ;  but 
at  that  time  a  boy  who  was  about  to  learn  a  trade 
was  apprenticed  to  a  master.  As  a  premium  for 
learning  the  business  he  usually  had  to  pay  about 
one  hundred  dollars.  Then  after  a  series  of  years, 
during  which  he  worked  for  nothingr  he  was  entitled 
for  a  time  to  receive  journeyman's  wages.  But  his 
father,  Josiah  Franklin,  was  unable  to  settle  satisfac 
torily  the  terms  of  indenture,  and  the  cutlery  trade 
was  given  up. 

We  have  mentioned  that  Franklin  was  one  of  a 
large  family  of  children.  By  the  two  marriages  of 
his  father,  there  were  sixteen  sons  and  daughters 
around  the  family  hearth.  One  of  the  sons,  James, 
had  been  sent  to  London  to  learn  the  trade  of  a 
printer.  He  returned  to  Boston  and  set  up  business 


PARENTAGE   AND   EARLY   LIFE.  21 

on  his  own  account,  when  Benjamin  was  eleven 
years  of  age.  It  was  decided  to  bind  Benjamin  to 
this  business.  Reluctantly  Benjamin  consented  to 
place  himself  in  such  subordination  to  his  brother. 
He  was,  however,  bound  to  him  for  a  period  of 
nine  years,  from  twelve  to  twenty-one.  During  the 
last  year  he  was  to  receive  a  journeyman's  wages. 
The  following  extract  from  this  form  of  indenture 
of  apprenticeship,  which  was  in  common  use  in 
the  reign  of  George  the  First,  will  be  read  with 
interest. 

"  He  shall  neither  buy  nor  sell  without  his  mas 
ter's  license.  Taverns,  inns,  or  alehouses  he  shall  not 
haunt.  At  cards,  dice,  tables,  or  any  other  unlaw 
ful  game  he  shall  not  play.  Matrimony  he  shall  not 
contract ;  nor  from  the  service  of  his  said  master 
day  nor  night  absent  himself,  but  in  all  things,  as  an 
honest  and  faithful  apprentice,  shall  and  will  demean 
and  behave  himself  towards  his  said  master  and  all 
his,  during  said  term.  And  the  said  James  Frank 
lin,  the  master,  for  and  in  consideration  of  the  sum 
of  ten  pounds  of  lawful  British  money  to  him  in 
hand  paid  by  the  said  Josiah  Franklin,  the  father, 
the  receipt  of  which  is  hereby  acknowledged,  the 
said  apprentice  in  the  art  of  a  printer  which  he  now 
useth,  shall  teach  and  instruct  or  cause  to  be  taught 
and  instructed  the  best  way  and  manner  that  he  can, 


22  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

finding  and  allowing  unto  the  said  apprentice,  meat, 
drink,  washing,  lodging  and  all  other  necessaries 
during  the  said  term." 

Benjamin  devoted  himself  with  great  assiduity 
to  learn  the  trade  of  a  printer.  The  office  in  which 
he  worked,  stood  at  the  corner  of  Franklin  avenue 
and  Court  street.  For  three  years,  Franklin  was 
thus  employed,  apparently  never  seeking  recreation, 
and  never  having  a  moment  of  leisure  save  such  as 
he  could  rescue  from  sleep  or  from  his  meals. 
There  were  at  that  time  several  bookstores  in 
Boston.  The  eminent  men  of  that  province  had 
brought  with  them  to  the  New  World,  literary  and 
scientific  tastes  of  a  high  order.  Even  then  the  axe 
of  the  settler  had  been  heard  but  at  a  short  distance 
in  the  primeval  forests,  which  still  encircled  all  the 
large  towns.  Bears  were  not  unfrequently  shot 
from  Long  Wharf,  as  they  swam  from  island  to 
island,  or  endeavored  to  cross  the  solitary  bay.  It 
is  said  that  at  that  time  twenty  bears  were  often 
shot  in  a  week. 

Benjamin  Franklin,  inspired  by  his  love  of  read 
ing,  cultivated  friendly  relations  with  the  clerks  in 
the  bookstores.  From  them  he  borrowed  interest 
ing  volumes,  which  he  took  home  in  the  evening 
with  the  utmost  care,  and  having  spent  most  of  the 
night  in  reading,  would  return  them  at  an  early  hour 


PARENTAGE  AND   EARLY   LIFE.  23 

in  the  morning,  before  the  master  of  the  shop  had 
time  to  miss  them. 

Something  in  the  demeanor  of  Franklin  at 
tracted  the  attention  of  a  merchant  in  Boston  by 
the  name  of  Matthew  Adams.  He  invited  him  to 
his  library  and  loaned  him  books.  The  lad's  Uncle 
Benjamin,  in  England,  who  was  very  fond  of  compos 
ing  rhymes  which  he  called  poetry,  sent  many  of  his 
effusions  to  his  favorite  nephew,  and  opened  quite  a 
brisk  correspondence  with  him.  Thus  Benjamin 
soon  became  a  fluent  rhymester,  and  wrote  sundry 
ballads  which  were  sold  in  the  streets  and  became 
quite  popular.  There  was  a  great  demand  at  that 
time  for  narratives  of  the  exploits  of  pirates,  the 
doom  of  murderers,  and  wild  love  adventures.  It  is 
said  that  one  of  the  Boston  publishers,  in  the  sale 
of  ballads  alone,  found  a  very  lucrative  business. 
Benjamin,  who  found  it  very  easy  to  write  doggerel 
verse,  wrote  one  ballad  called  "  The  Lighthouse 
Tragedy."  It  was  a  graphic,  and  what  would  be 
called  at  the  present  day,  a  sensational  account  of  a 
shipwreck,  in  which  the  captain  and  his  two  daugh 
ters  perished.  He  wrote  another  which  was  still 
more  captivating,  and  which  in  all  its  main  features 
was  historically  true.  It  was  an  account  of  the 
world-renowned  pirate,  Edward  Teach,  usually 
called  Blackbeard.  The  reader  will  find  a  minute 


24  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

narrative  of  the  career  of  that  monster  in  the  vol 
ume  of  this  series  of  Pioneers  and  Patriots  entitled 
"  Captain  Kidd ;  or  the  early  American  Buccaneers." 
One  stanza  has  descended  to  us  which  it  is  said 
composed  a  portion  of  this  ballad,  and  which  is  cer 
tainly  a  fair  specimen  of  the  popular  style  then  in 
vogue. 

"  Come  all  you  jolly  sailors 

You  all  so  stout  and  brave, 
Come  hearken  and  I'll  tell  you, 

What  happened  on  the  wave. 
Oh  'tis  of  that  bloody  Blackbeard 

I'm  going  now  for  to  tell 
And  as  how  by  gallant  Maynard 

He  soon  was  sent  to  Hell. 
With  a  down,  down,  derry  down." 

This  was  indeed  wretched  stuff,  as  Franklin  after 
wards  admitted  ;  but  it  is  to  be  remembered  he  was 
then  but  a  boy  of  fifteen.  Having  composed  the 
ballad  and  set  in  type  and  printed  it,  he  was  then 
sent  to  hawk  it  through  the  streets.  This  was  cer 
tainly  are  markable  achievement  fora  lad  of  his  years. 
The  eagerness  with  which  both  of  the  ballads  were 
seized  by  the  public  must  have  greatly  gratified  the 
self-esteem  of  the  young  writer. 

Addison  was  a  bungler  in  talk,  but  every  sentence 
from  his  pen  was  elegant.  He  once  said,  "  I  carry  no 
loose  change  in  my  pocket,  but  I  can  draw  for  a'thou- 
sand  pounds."  Burke  said  of  Goldsmith,  "  He  writes 


PARENTAGE  AND   EARLY   LIFE.  2$ 

like  an  angel,  but  he  talks  like  poor  Poll."  Frank 
lin  was  by  no  means  a  bungler  in  his  speech,  but  he 
was  not  fluent.  He  hesitated,  and  was  at  a  loss  for 
words,  but  whatever  he  wrote  had  a  wonderful  flow 
of  harmony.  The  right  word  was  always  in  the 
right  place.  Doubtless  had  he  devoted  as  much 
attention  to  the  acquirement  of  conversational  ease, 
as  he  did  to  skill  in  writing,  he  would  have  been  as 
successful  in  the  one  art  as  in  the  other.  From 
early  life  it  was  his  great  ambition  to  be  not  merely 
a  fine  but  a  forcible  writer.  He  did  not  seek  splen 
dor  of  diction,  but  that  perspicuity,  that  transpa 
rency  of  expression  which  would  convey  the  thought 
most  directly  to  the  mind. 

An  odd  volume  of  the  Spectator  fell  in  his  way. 
He  was  charmed  with  the  style.  Selecting  some 
interesting  incident,  he  would  read  it  with  the  closest 
care ;  he  would  then  close  the  book,  endeavoring  to 
retain  the  thought  only  without  regard  to  the  ex 
pression.  Then  with  pen,  in  hand,  he  would  sit 
down  and  relate  the  anecdote  or  the  incident  in  the 
most  forceful  and  graphic  words  his  vocabulary 
would  afford.  This  he  would  correct  and  re-correct, 
minutely  attending  to  the  capitals  and  the  punctua 
tion  until  he  had  made  it  in  all  respects  as  perfect 
as  it  was  in  his  power.  He  then  compared  his  nar 
rative  with  that  in  the  Spectator.  Of  course  he  usually 


26  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

found  many  faults  which  he  had  committed,  but  oc 
casionally  he  could  not  but  admit  he  had  improved 
upon  his  original.  This  encouraged  him  with  the 
hope  that  by  long  continued  practice,  he  might 
become  an  able  writer  of  the  English  language.  This 
practice  he  continued  for  months,  varying  it  in 
many  ways.  He  continued  to  rhyme,  though  he 
admitted  that  there  was  little  poetry  in  his  verse. 
The  exercise,  however,  he  thought  useful  in  giving 
him  a  mastery  of  language. 

Though  Franklin  wrote  ballads,  he  seemed  to  be 
mainly  interested  in  reading  books  of  the  most 
elevated  and  instructive  character.  Locke's  "  Essay 
on  the  Human  Understanding,"  he  studied  thor 
oughly.  "  The  Art  of  Thinking,"  by  the  Messrs, 
de  Port  Royal,  engrossed  all  his  energies.  But 
perhaps  there  was  no  book,  at  that  time,  which  pro 
duced  so  deep  and  abiding  impression  on  his  mind 
as  the  "Memorabilia  of  Socrates,"  by  Xenophon. 

Franklin  was  fond  of  arguing  ;  he  was  naturally 
disputatious.  With  his  keen  intellect,  he  was 
pretty  sure  to  come  off  as  victor,  at  least  in  his  own 
judgment,  in  discussions  with  his  associates.  But 
the  Socratic  method  of  argumentation,  so  different 
from  that  in  which  he  had  been  accustomed  to 
indulge,  at  once  secured  his  approval  and  admira 
tion.  Socrates  was  never  guilty  of  the  discourtesy 


PARENTAGE  AND   EARLY   LIFE.  2? 

of  assailing  an  opponent  with  flat  contradiction  or 
positive  assertion.  With  a  politeness  which  never 
failed  him,  and  a  modesty  of  demeanor  which  won 
the  regard  of  all  others,  he  would  lead  his  fellow 
disputant,  by  a  series  of  questions,  to  assent  to  the 
views  which  he  advocated.  Franklin  immediately 
commenced  practicing  upon  this  newly  discovered 
art.  He  was  remarkably  successful,  and  became  one 
of  the  most  agreeable  and  beloved  of  companions. 
But  ere  long  he  became  satisfied  of  the  folly  of  these 
disputations,  in  which  each  party  struggles,  not  for 
truth,  but  for  victory.  It  is  simply  an  exercise  of 
intellectual  gladiatorship,  in  which  the  man  who  has 
the  most  skill  and  muscle  discomfits  his  antagonist. 
Jefferson  warned  his  nephew  to  avoid  disputation. 
He  says,  "  I  have  never  known,  during  my  long  life, 
any  persons"  engage  in  a  dispute  in  which  they  did 
not  separate,  each  more  firmly  convinced  than  be 
fore  of  the  correctness  of  his  own  views." 

Franklin  enjoyed  marvellous  health.  His  diges 
tive  powers  were  perfect.  He  could  live  upon  any 
thing  and  almost  upon  nothing  without  experienc 
ing  any  inconvenience.  A  book  advocating  purely 
vegetable  diet  accidentally  fell  into  his  hands.  It 
urged  the  pecuniary  economy  and  the  saving  of  time 
in  adopting  a  vegetarian  diet.  Eagerly  he  adopted 
the  views  presented.  He  could  safely  do  so,  had 


28  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

the  author  advocated  raw  onions  and  carrots.  The 
stomach  of  Franklin  would  have  received  them  and 
assimilated  them  without  any  remonstrance.  He 
succeeded  in  inducing  his  brother  to  relinquish  one 
half  of  his  board  and  allow  him  to  board  himself. 
Benjamin  found  that  in  this  way,  he  saved  much  time 
and  much  money;  A  handful  of  raisins,  a  roll  of 
bread,  and  a  glass  of  water  afforded  him  a  dinner. 
This  he  could  dispose  of  in  from  five  to  ten  minutes, 
and  have  the  remainder  of  the  dinner  hour  for  reading. 
The  hours  of  the  night  were  his  own.  He  often  sat 
up  late  and  rose  early,  his  soul  all  absorbed  in  intel 
lectual  vigils. 

There  are  two  platforms  of  morality,  in  some 
respects  inseparably  blended,  in  others  quite  dis 
tinctly  separated  from  each  other.  The  one  of 
these  platforms  constitutes  the  low  standard  of  mere' 
worldly  morality.  It  says, 

You  must  not  kill,  you  must  not  steal,  you 
must  not  lie,  you  must  not  slander  your  neighbor, 
you  must  not  cheat  him  in  a  bargain. 

But  there  is  another  platform  which  not  only 
includes  all  this,  but  which  introduces  principles  of 
an  infinitely  higher  grade.  It  is  the  platform  en 
forced  by  Jesus  Christ  as  essential  to  a  life  which 
shall  be  pleasing  to  our  Heavenly  Father.  Our 
Saviour  says,  You  must  love  God  in  whom  you  live 


PARENTAGE  AND   EARLY   LIFE.  2g 

and  move  and  have  your  being :  you  must  daily 
pray  to  him  with  gratitude  for  the  favors  you  re 
ceive.  In  the  great  conflict,  raging  here  below, 
between  sin  and  holiness,  your  whole  heart  must 
yearn  with  the  desire  that  God's  "  kingdom  may 
come  and  that  His  will  may  be  done  on  earth  as  in 
Heaven."  Imitating  the  example  of  your  Saviour, 
who  was  God  manifest  in  the  flesh  that  by  His  life 
He  might  show  men  how  to  live,  you  must  do  every 
thing  in  your  power  to  lead  your  neighbors  and 
friends  to  love  God,  to  avoid  everything  in  thought, 
word,  or  deed,  which  you  think  will  be  displeasing 
to  Him ;  and  you  must  do  all  in  your  power  to 
prepare  your  heart  for  that  world  of  purity  and  love 
where  the  spirits  of  the  just  are  made  perfect.  No 
one  can  be  blind  to  the  fact  that  these  principles  are 
infinitely  above  the  principles  of  mere  worldly 
morality.  They  are  not  a  substitute  for  those  prin 
ciples,  but  an  addition  to  them. 

At  the  age  of  sixteen,  Franklin  was  disposed  to 
adopt  the  lower  of  these  creeds  as  his  rule  of  life  ; 
at  times  affirming  that  it  was  superior  to  the  teach 
ings  of  Jesus  Christ ;  while  again  there  would  be  the 
very  clear  and  inconsistent  avowal  that,  in  this 
wicked  world,  something  more  was  needed  than 
teachings  which  he  could  plainly  see  seldom,  if  ever 


30  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

influenced  a  lost  and  degraded  man,  to  be  changed 
from  a  Saul  of  Tarsus  to  a  Paul  the  Apostle.  No 
one  can  understand  the  peculiar  religious  and  moral 
character  of  Benjamin  Franklin,  without  bearing  in 
mind  these  distinctions. 


CHAPTER   II. 
Developments  of  Character. 

Views  of  the  Sabbath — Writings  of  Collins  and  Shaftsbury — The 
creed  of  Collins — Franklin  at  sixteen — The  Courant — Denunci 
ations  of  the  paper — Franklin's  mode  of  acquiring  the  art  of 
composition — His  success  as  a  writer — The  Editor  prosecuted — 
Benjamin  becomes  Editor  and  Publisher — Jealousy  of  his  brother 
— The  runaway  apprentice — The  voyage  to  New  York — Great 
disappointment  —  Eventful  Journey  to  Philadelphia  —  Gloomy 
prospects — The  dawn  of  brighter  days. 

FRANKLIN  was  never  scrupulous  in  the  observ 
ance  of  the  Sabbath.  Still,  though  he  but  occasion 
ally  attended  church,  he  at  times  very  earnestly  urged 
that  duty  upon  his  young  friends.  It  is  not  proba 
ble  that  the  preaching  he  heard  in  those  days,  was 
calculated  to  interest  him.  While  a  child  under  the 
parental  roof,  he  ordinarily  accompanied  his  parents, 
and  seemed  to  regard  it  as  his  duty  to  do  so. 

He  now,  however,  with  an  increasing  sense  of 
independence,  very  much  preferred  to  spend  his 
precious  hours  in  his  chamber,  reading  books  which 
engrossed  his  most  intense  interest.  Unfortunately 
many  treatises  fell  into  his  hands  in  which  unchris 
tian  sentiments  were  conveyed  to  his  mind,  by  men 


32  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

of  the  highest  intellectual  character,  and  whose 
writings  were  invested  with  the  most  fascinating 
charms  of  eloquence. 

Robert  Boyle,  an  Irish  nobleman  of  wealth  and 
fervent  piety,  had  established  at  Oxford  a  lecture 
ship,  the  object  of  which  was  to  prove  the  truth  of 
the  Christian  religion.  These  lectures  had  found 
their  way  in  tracts  to  the  little  library  of  Franklin's 
father.  When  but  fifteen  years  of  age  the  boy  read 
them,  with  a  far  keener  relish  than  most  school-boys 
now  read  the  flashy  novels  of  the  day.  In  order  to 
refute  the  arguments  of  the  deists,  the  lecturers 
were  bound  to  produce  those  arguments  fairly  and 
forcibly.  But  to  this  young  boy's  piercing  mind, 
the  arguments  against  Christianity  seemed  stronger 
than  those  which  were  brought  forward  to  refute 
them.  Thus  the  lad  became,  not  a  positive  unbe-. 
liever,  but  an  honest  doubter.  He  now  sought 
earnestly  for  other  works  upon  that  all-important 
subject. 

The  two  most  important,  influential  and  popular 
writers  of  that  day  were  perhaps  Anthony  Collins  and 
the  Earl  of  Shaftsbury.  These  were  both  men  of 
fortune,  of  polished  education,  and  of  great  rhetorical 
and  argumentative  skill.  Their  influence  over  young 
minds  was  greatly  increased  by  the  courtesy  and 
candor  which  pervaded  all  their  writings.  They  ever 


DEVELOPMENTS  OF  CHARACTER.  33 

wrote  like  gentlemen  addressing  gentlemen  ;  and  the 
views  they  urged  were  presented  with  the  modesty 
of  men  who  were  earnestly  seeking  for  the  truth. 

The  main  attack  of  both  of  these  men  was  di 
rected  against  the  miracles  of  the  Bible.  It  was  very 
evident  that,  the  Divine  authority  of  the  Bible  being 
overthrown,  the  whole  structure  of  the  Christian 
religion  and  morality  must  pass  away.  Mr.  Parton, 
in  his  admirable  Life  of  Franklin,  says, 

"Any  one  who  will  turn  over  an  edition  of 
Shaftsbury,  and  try  to  read  it  with  the  mind  of  this 
merry  and  receptive  printer's  boy,  will  perceive  how 
entirely  captivating  it  must  have  been  to  him.  The 
raillery  that  was  always  the  raillery  of  a  gentleman ; 
the  irony  so  delicate  as  really  to  deceive  some  men 
who  passed  for  acute  ;  the  fine  urbanity  that  pervades 
even  the  passages  called  severe  ;  the  genuine  rever 
ence  of  the  author  for  virtue  ;  the  spectacle  revealed 
of  a  man  uniting  in  himself  all  that  is  good  in  sense, 
with  all  that  is  agreeable  in  the  man  of  the  world, — 
how  pleasing  it  must  all  have  been  to  our  inky 
apprentice  as  he  munched  his  noon-day  crust." 

The  practical  creed  of  Collins  and  Shaftsbury,  so 
far  as  it  can  be  gleaned  from  the  obscurity  of  their 
brilliant  pages,  consisted  in  the  entire  renunciation 
of  all  that  is  deemed  the  spirituality  of  the  Christian 
creed,  and  the  simple  enforcement  of  the  ordinary 


34  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

principles  .of  morality  in  man's  intercourse  with  his 
brother  man.  In  substance  they  said, 

"  Be  truthful  and  honest.  Do  not  openly  oppose 
the  institutions  of  Christianity,  for  that  will  render 
you  obnoxious  to  your  neighbors.  Conform  to  the 
ordinary  usages  of  the  society  in  the  midst  of  which 
you  move ;  and  as  to  creeds,  let  them  alone  as  un 
worthy  of  a  moment's  thought." 

Franklin,  at  sixteen  years  of  age,  became  a  thor 
ough  convert  to  these  views.  He  was  virtually  with 
out  any  God.  He  had  no  rule  of  life  but  his  own 
instincts  ;  but  those  instincts  were  of  a  high  order, 
emboldening  his  character  and  restraining  him  from 
all  vulgar  vice.  Thus  he  wandered  for  many  years  ; 
though  there  are  many  indications  of  an  occasionally 
troubled  mind,  and  though  he  at  times  struggled 
with  great  eagerness  to  obtain  a  higher  state  of 
moral  perfection,  he  certainly  never  developed  the 
character  of  a  warm-hearted  and  devoted  follower  of 
Jesus.* 

*  "  For  some  years  he  wandered  in  heathenish  darkness.  He  for 
sook  the  safe  and  good  though  narrow  way  of  his  forefathers,  and  of 
his  father  and  mother,  and  his  gentle  Uncle  Benjamin,  without  finding 
better  and  larger  ways  of  his  own.  He  was  in  danger  of  becoming  a 
castaway  or  a  commonplace  successful  man  of  the  world.  He  found 
in  due  time,  after  many  trials,  and  much  suffering  and  many  grievous 
errors,  that  the  soul  of  a  man  does  not  thrive  upon  negations,  and 
that,  in  very  truth  a  man  must  believe  in  order  that  he  may  be  saved." 
— Parton's  Life  of  Franklin,  Vol.  \,p.  71. 


DEVELOPMENTS  OF  CHARACTER.       35 

James  Franklin  was  prosperous  in  his  business. 
On -the  i/th  of  August,  1721,  he  issued  the  first 
number  of  a  newspaper  entitled  "  The  New  Eng 
land  Courant."  Benjamin  set  the  type,  struck  off 
the  impression  of  two  or  three  hundred,  with  a 
hand-press,  and  then  traversed  the  streets,  carrying 
the  diminutive  sheet  to  the  homes  of  the  subscri 
bers.  The  Courant  soon  attracted  attention.  A 
knot  of  sparkling  writers  began  to  contribute  to  its 
columns,  and  while  the  paper  was  with  increasing 
eagerness  sought  for,  a  clamor  was  soon  raised 
against  it.  It  was  denounced  as  radical  in  its 
political  tendencies,  and  as  speaking  contemptuous 
ly  of  the  institutions  of  religion.  Cotton  Mather, 
even,  launched  one  of  his  thunderbolts  against  it. 
He  wrote, 

"  We  find  a  notorious,  scandalous  paper  called 
"The  Courant"  full  freighted  with  nonsense,  un- 
manliness,  raillery,  profaneness,  immorality,  arro 
gance,  calumnies,  lies,  contradictions  and  what  not, 
all  tending  to  quarrels  and  divisions,  and  to  debauch 
and  corrupt  the  mind  and  manners  of  New  England." 

Increase  Mather  also  denounced  the  paper,  in 
terms  still  more  emphatic. 

At  this  time  a  strong  antipathy  was  springing 
up  between  James,  and  his  apprentice  brother. 
James  assumed  the  airs  of  a  master,  and  was  arro- 


36  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

gant  and  domineering,  at  times  in  his  anger  pro 
ceeding  even  to  blows.  Benjamin  was  opinionated, 
headstrong  and  very  unwilling  to  yield  to  another's 
guidance.  As  Benjamin  compared  his  own  com 
positions  with  those  which  wrere  sent  to  the 
Courant,  he  was  convinced  that  he  could  write  as 
well,  if  not  better,  than  others.  He,  therefore,  one 
evening  prepared  an  article,  before  he  was  sixteen 
years  of  age,  which,  with  the  greatest  care,  was 
written  in  pure  Addisonian  diction.  Disguising  his 
hand,  he  slipped  this  at  night  under  the  door  of  the 
printing  office.  .  The  next  morning  several  contribu 
tors  were  chatting  together  in  the  editorial  office, 
as  Benjamin  stood  at  the  printing  case  setting  his 
types.  The  anonymous  article  was  read  and  freely 
commented  upon.  The  young  writer  was  delighted 
in  rinding  it  highly  commended,  and  in  their  guesses 
for  the  author,  the  names  of  the  most  distinguished 
men  in  Boston  were  mentioned. 

The  singular  nom  de  plume  he  assumed  was 
"  Silence  Dogood."  Over  that  signature  he  wrote 
many  articles  before  it  was  ascertained  that  he  was 
the  author.  These  articles  attracted  so  much  at 
tention  that  young  Benjamin  could  not  refrain  from 
claiming  their  paternity.  This  led  his  brother  and 
others  to  regard  him  with  far  more  respect  than 
heretofore. 


DEVELOPMENTS  OF  CHARACTER.       37 

But  the  Courant,  while  popular  with  the  masses, 
became  unpopular  with  the  governmental  authori 
ties  and  with  the  religious  community.  As  a  slap 
in  the  face  of  the  government,  a  fictitious  letter  was 
written,  professedly  from  Newport,  stating  that  a 
piratic  ship  had  appeared  off  the  coast,  plundering, 
burning,  and  destroying.  It  was  then  stated  that 
the  government  of  Massachusetts  was  fitting  out  an 
armed  vessel  to  attack  the  pirate,  and  that,  wind 
and  weather  permitting,  the  vessel  would  sail  from 
Boston  sometime  during  the  month. 

This  reflection  upon  the  dilatoriness  of  govern 
ment  gave  great  offence.  The  members  of  the 
Council  summoned  Franklin  before  them  to  answer 
for  the  libel.  He  admitted  that  he  was  the  publish 
er  of  the  paper,  but  refused  to  give  the  name  of  the 
writer.  The  Council  decided  that  the  paragraph 
was  a  high  affront  to  the  government,  and  ordered 
his  imprisonment  in  the  Boston  jail.  Here  he  was 
incarcerated  for  a  week.  Crushed  by  his  misfor 
tunes  he  wrote  a  very  humble  letter  stating  that  his 
close  confinement  endangered  his  life,  and  begging 
that  he  might  enjoy  the  liberty  of  the  jail-yard. 
His  request  was  granted,  and  for  three  weeks  more 
he  remained  a  prisoner,  though  with  daily  permis 
sion  to  leave  his  cell. 

During  this  time  Benjamin  conducted  the  paper, 


38  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

editing  it,  setting  the  type,  printing  the  sheets  and 
distributing  the  copies  to  the  subscribers.  He  was 
still  but  a  boy  of  sixteen.  James  was  eventually 
released  from  prison,  but  the  general  character  of  the 
Courant  remained  unchanged.  Unworthy  professors 
of  Christianity  were  incessantly  assailed.  The  vir 
tues  of  true  Christians — of  the  multitudes  of  the  dis 
ciples  of  Jesus,  who  were  mothers  in  Israel,  or  who 
were  Israelites  indeed  in  whom  there  was  no  guile, 
were  forgotten  ;  while  every  mean  and  contemptible 
act  of  hypocrites  and  apostates  was  proclaimed  with 
trumpet  resonance. 

At  length  the  Council  declared  in  reference  to  a 
peculiarly  obnoxious  copy  of  the  paper,  that  the 
Courant  of  that  date  contained  many  passages  per 
verting  the  Holy  Scriptures,  and  slandering  the  civil 
government,  the  ministers,  and  the  good  people  of 
the  land.  A  committee  of  three  was  appointed  to 
report  upon  the  matter.  After  two  days  they 
brought  in  the  following  decision : 

"  We  are  humbly  of  opinion  that  the  tendency 
of  said  paper,  is  to  mock  religion  and  bring  it  into 
contempt;  that  the  Holy  Scriptures  are  therein  pro 
fanely  abused ;  that  the  revered  and  faithful  minis 
ters  of  the  Gospel  are  ignominiously  reflected  on ; 
and  that  His  Majesty's  government  is  affronted  ;  and 
the  peace  and  good  order  of  His  Majesty's  sub- 


DEVELOPMENTS  OF  CHARACTER.       39 

jects  of  this  province  disturbed  by  this  said  Cour 
ant." 

The  committee,  therefore,  proposed  that  James 
Franklin  should  be  strictly  forbidden  to  print  or 
publish  the  Courant,  or  any  other  paper  of  the  like 
nature,  unless  it  were  supervised  by  the  secretary 
of  the  province. 

James  Franklin  and  his  friends,  after  this  decision, 
met  in  the  office  of  the  Courant,  and  adroitly  de 
cided  to  evade  the  mandate  by  canceling  the  inden 
tures  of  apprenticeship  of  Benjamin,  and  constituting 
him  the  editor  and  publisher  of  the  journal.  This 
precocious  lad  prepared  his  inaugural.  It  contained 
the  following  sentiments : 

"  Long  has  the  press  groaned  in  bringing  forth  a 
hateful  brood  of  pamphlets,  malicious  scribbles,  and 
billingsgate  ribaldry.  No  generous  and  impartial 
person  then  can  blame  the  present  undertaking  which 
is  designed  purely  for  the  diversion  and  merriment 
of  the  reader.  Pieces  of  pleasantry  and  mirth  have  a 
secret  charm  in  them  to  allay  the  heats  and  tumults 
of  our  spirits,  and  to  make  a  man  forget  his  restless 
resentment.  The  main  design  of  this  weekly  paper 
will  be  to  entertain  the  town  with  the  most  comical 
and  diverting  incidents  of  human  life,  which  in  so 
large  a  place  as  Boston  will  not  fail  of  a  universal 
exemplification.  Nor  shall  we  be  wanting  to  fill  up 


4O  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

these  papers  with  a  grateful  interspersion  of  more 
serious  morals  which  may  be  drawn  from  the  most 
ludicrous  and  odd  parts  of  life." 

It  cannot  be  denied  that  Franklin  aimed  his  keen 
shafts  at  many  of  the  best  of  men  who  were  conse 
crating  all  their  energies  to  the  promotion  of  the 
physical,  moral,  and  religious  welfare  of  their  fellow 
creatures.  He  had  a  keen  eye  to  search  out  their 
frailties  ;  and  though  he  seldom  if  ever,  dipped  his 
pen  in  gall,  he  did  at  times  succeed  in  making  them 
the  .song  of  the  drunkard,  and  in  turning  against 
them  the  derision  of  all  the  lewd  fellows  of  the  baser 
sort. 

Benjamin,  elated  by  flattery  and  success,  admits 
that  at  seventeen  years  of  age  he  became  ;n  his  treat 
ment  of  his  brother  "  saucy  and  provoking."  James 
was  increasingly  jealous  and  exacting.  At  length  a 
very  violent  quarrel  arose  between  them.  The  elder 
brother  even  undertook  to  chastise  his  younger 
brother,  whom  he  still,  affected  to  regard  as  his  ap 
prentice.  The  canceling  of  the  terms  of  indenture, 
he  regarded  as  a  secret  act,  intended  merely  to  out 
wit  his  opponent.  Franklin,  burning  with  indigna 
tion,  resolved  no  longer  to  continue  in  his  brother's 
employment,  and  went  to  several  other  printers  in 
Boston,  hoping  to  enter  into  a  new  engagement. 
But  his  brother  had  preceded  him,  giving  his  own 


DEVELOPMENTS  OF  CHARACTER.       41 

version  of  the  story,  and  even  declaring  his  brilliant 
brother  to  be  an  infidel  and  an  atheist. 

Benjamin  resolved  to  run  away ;  for  he  still  felt 
the  binding  obligation  of  his  apprenticeship,  while  he 
tried  to  satisfy  his  mind  that  the  unjust  conduct  of 
James  entitled  him  to  violate  the  obligation.  There 
was  a  vessel  about  to  sail  for  New  York.  He  sold 
some  of  his  books  to  pay  his  passage  ;  and  going  on 
board  secretly  at  night,  he  solicited  the  captain  to 
aid  him  in  concealing  him,  with  the  false  statement 
that  he  had  become  involved  in  a  love  adventure 
with  a  young  girl ;  that  she  had  subsequently  proved 
to  be  a  bad  character  ;  that  her  friends  insisted  on 
his  marrying  her ;  and  that  his  only  refuge  was  to  be 
found  in  flight. 

His  passage  to  New  York  was  swift  and  pleasant. 
It  is  said  that  having  adopted  the  vegetarian  diet,  he 
doubted  our  right  to  deprive  an  animal  of  life  for 
our  own  gratification  in  eating.  The  sloop  was  one 
day  becalmed  off  Block  Island.  The  crew  found  it 
splendid  fishing  ground  ;  the  deck  was  soon  covered 
with  cod  and  haddock.  Franklin  denounced  catch 
ing  the  fishes,  as  murderous,  as  no  one  could  affirm 
that  these  fishes,  so  happy  in  the  water,  had  ever  con 
ferred  any  injury  upon  their  captors.  But  Benjamin 
was  blessed  with  a  voracious  appetite.  The  frying 
pan  was  busy,  and  the  odor  from  the  fresh  fish  was 


42  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

exceedingly  alluring.  As  he  watched  a  sailor  cutting 
open  a  fish,  he  observed  in  its  stomach  a  smaller  fish, 
which  the  cod  had  evidently  eaten. 

"Ah!"  he  exclaimed,  "if  you  can  eat  one  an 
other,  I  surely  have  a  right  to  eat  you." 

All  his  scruples  vanished.  He  sat  down  with  the 
rest  to  the  sumptuous  repast,  and  never  after  seemed 
to  have  any  hesitancy  in  gratifying  his  appetite. 

Benjamin  tells  this  story  in  his  autobiography, 
and  shrewdly  adds,  quoting  from  some  one  else, 

"  So  convenient  a  thing  it  is  to  be  a  reasonable 
creature,  since  it  enables  one  to  find  or  make  a 
reason  for  everything  one  has  a  mind  to  do." 

It  was  in  the  beautiful  month  of  October,  1723, 
when  Benjamin  landed  on  the  wharves  of  New  York. 
He  was  not  quite  eighteen  years  of  age ;  had  but 
little  money  in  his  purse  ;  and  was  without  any  letter 
of  recommendation  or  any  acquaintance  in  the  town. 
The  place  consisted  of  but  seven  or  eight  thousand 
inhabitants.  The  streets  were  the  crooked  lanes 
which  we  still  find  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Battery. 
Some  of  the  most  important  were  uncomfortably 
paved  with  cobble  stones.  Most  of  the  inhabitants 
were  Dutch,  reading  and  speaking  only  the  Dutch 
language.  There  was  at  that  time  indeed,  but  little 
encouragement  for  an  English  printer.  There  was 
but  one  book-store  then  in  New  York ;  and  but  one 


DEVELOPMENTS   OF  CHARACTER.  43 

printing  office,  which  was  conducted  by  William 
Bradford. 

The  runaway  apprentice  could  find  no  employ 
ment.  But  William  Bradford  had  a  son  in  Philadel 
phia  who  was  also  a  printer.  He  said  to  Benjamin, 

"  He  may  employ  you,  as  he  has  recently  lost  an 
apprentice  by  death." 

Leaving  his  chest  of  clothes  to  go  round  by  sea  to 
Philadelphia,  Benjamin  took  passage  in  a  small  di 
lapidated  shore  boat  which  crept  along  the  coast  to 
Amboy.  A  drunken  Dutchman  was  his  only  fellow 
passenger.  The  gloom  of  the  primeval  forest  over 
shadowed  Governor's  Island :  not  a  single  cabin  as 
yet  had  been  reared  in  its  solitudes.  A  squall  struck 
the  boat,  split  its  sail,  and  pitched  the  Dutchman 
overboard.  Franklin  caught  him  by  the  hair  and 
saved  him  from  drowning.  The  sudden  tempest  in 
creased  into  a  storm,  and  the  boat  was  driven  fiercely 
before  the  gale.  The  surf  dashed  so  violently  upon 
the  shore  that  they  could  not  venture  to  land.  Night 
approached.  Exhausted,  drenched  and  hungry,  they 
cast  anchor  near  the  Long  Island  shore,  .where  a  bend 
in  the  land  afforded  them  slight  protection  while  still 
they  were  in  great  danger.  There  were  one  or  two 
log  cabins  in  the  vicinity.  Several  of  the  men  came 
to  the  shore,  but  could  afford  them  no  relief.  They 
had  no  provision  on  board  excepting  a  single  bottle 


44  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

of  bad  rum.  All  night  long  the  tempest  beat  upon 
them.  In  the  morning  the  wind  had  so  far  lulled 
that  they  were  enabled  to  repair  their  sail,  and  to 
work  their  way  on  to  Amboy. 

It  was  late  in  the  afternoon  when  they  reached 
the  port.  For  thirty  hours  they  had  been  without 
food  or  water..  Such  were  the  perils  of  a  passage 
from  New  York  to  Philadelphia  in  the  year  1723. 

Franklin,  in  the  enjoyment  of  magnificent  health, 
slept  quietly  that  night  in  an  humble  inn,  and  awoke 
in  the  morning  with  all  his  accustomed  vigor.  There 
were  still  fifty  miles  of  land  travel  before  him,  ere  he 
could  cross  the  forest  covered  plains  of  New  Jersey 
to  Burlington,  on  the  banks  of  the  Delaware,  which 
were  seventeen  miles  above  Philadelphia.  There 
was  neither  railroad,  stage-coach  nor  cart  to  convey 
him  through  the  wilderness.  Indeed  it  was  thirty-, 
three  years  after  this  before  the  first  line  of  stages 
across  New  Jersey  was  established.  There  was  a 
rude  path,  probably  following  an  ancient  Indian  trail, 
along  which  our  solitary  adventurer  trudged  on  foot. 
It  rained  ;  but  still  Benjamin  found  it  necessary,  hav 
ing  so  slender  a  purse,  to  press  on  regardless  of 
discomfort. 

Early  in  the  afternoon  he  came  to  a  hamlet,  by 
the  roadside,  where  he  found  himself  so  exhausted 
by  the  unaccustomed  toil  of  walking,  and  by  ex- 


DEVELOPMENTS  OF  CHARACTER.       45 

posure  to  the  rain  and  the  miry  roads,  that  he  felt 
it  necessary  to  remain  until  the  next  morning.  The 
aspect  he  presented  was  shabby  and  dilapidated  in 
the  extreme  ;  for  he  was  in  his  working  dress,  which 
by  the  wear  and  tear  of  travel  had  become  greatly 
soiled  and  tattered.  He  was  not  a  little  mortified  to 
find  that  the  inhabitants  of  the  cabin,  while  they 
treated  him  kindly,  evidently'  regarded  him  with  sus 
picion  as  a  runaway  apprentice. 

In  the- gloom  of  that  night,  poor  Benjamin  bitter 
ly  repented  the  step  he  had  taken,  and  earnestly 
wished  himself  back  again  in  the  home  which  he  had 
forsaken.  Clouds  and  darkness  had  gathered  around 
his  path  and  he  could  see  but  little  bright  beyond. 
Early  the  next  morning  he  resumed  his  travels,  press 
ing  vigorously  along  all  day.  When  the  shades  of 
night  enveloped  him  he  had  reached  a  point  within 
ten  miles  of  Burlington.  He  passed  the  night  com 
fortably  in  a  settler's  cabin,  and  early  the  next 
morning  pressed  on  to  the  little  village  of  Burling 
ton,  from  which  he  was  informed  that  a  boat  started 
every  Saturday,  to  descend  the  still  silent  and  almost 
unfrequented  shores  of  the  Delaware  to  Philadelphia. 
Much  to  his  disappointment  he  reached  Burlington 
just  after  the  regular  Saturday  boat  had  gone,  and 
was  informed  that  there  was  no  other  boat  to  leave 
until  the  next  Tuesday.  He  made  his  united  break- 


46  BENJAMIN    FRANKLIN. 

fast  and  dinner  upon  gingerbread,  which  he  bought 
in  the  street  of  an  old  woman. 

Burlington  was  on  the  east  side  of  the  river,  Phil 
adelphia  was  on  the  west.  There  was  no  road  be 
tween  the  two  places,  the  communication  being  by 
the  river  only.  It  seemed  impossible  for  Benjamin 
to  toil  that  distance  through  the  pathless,  tangled 
forest.  He  had  but  five  shillings  in  his  pocket. 
With  the  utmost  economy  that  would  not  defray  his 
expenses  at  Burlington,  for  three  days,  and  leave  a 
sufficient  sum  to  pay  his  passage  down  the  river. 

In  his  distress  and  perplexity,  our  young  philoso 
pher,  whose  renown  for  wisdom  subsequently  filled 
all  Christian  lands,  turned  back  to  the  poor,  'aged 
woman  of  whom  he  had  bought  his  gingerbiead  and 
solicited  her  advice.  The  good  old  soul,  not  insensi 
ble  to  the  charms  of  the  frank  and  manly  looking 
boy,  with  motherly  tenderness  insisted  on  his  going 
to  her  own  humble  home.  Gladly  he  accepted  the 
invitation.  The  dinner  consisted  of  what  is  called 
ox-cheek ;  Franklin  contributed  a  pot  of  beer. 

Walking  out  early  in  the  evening  upon  the  banks 
of  the  river,  he  found,  to  his  great  joy,  a  chance  boat 
had  come  along,  bound  to  Philadelphia  and  contain 
ing  many  passengers.  Eagerly  Franklin  joined  them, 
and  bidding  adieu  to  his  kind  entertainer,  was  soon 
drifting  slowly  down  the  stream.  The  night  was 


DEVELOPMENTS  OF  CHARACTER.       47 

dark,  there  was  no  wind,  and  no  cheerful  gleam  from 
the  white  man's  cabin  or  the  Indian's  wigwam  met 
the  eye.  It  was  necessary  to  resort  to  rowing.  At 
length,  a  little  after  midnight,  several  of  the  passen 
gers  insisted  that  they  must  have  passed  Philadelphia 
without  seeing  it,  and  refused  to  row  any  farther. 
They  therefore  ran  the  boat  into  a  little  creek,  built 
a  rousing  fire,  for  the  night  was  damp  and  chill,  and 
ranging  themselves  around  its  genial  warmth  awaited 
the  dawn  of  the  morning.  The  light  revealed  to 
them  Philadelphia  but  a  few  miles  below  them.  It 
was  Sunday  morning.  At  nine  o'clock  the  boat  was 
made  fast  at  Market  street  wharf,  and  Franklin,  with 
one  silver  dollar  and  one  shilling  in  copper  coin  in  his 
pocket,  stepped  on  shore.  All  his  copper  coin  he 
paid  for  his  passage. 

Such  was  the  introduction  of  the  future  Governor 
of  Pennsylvania  to  the  realm  over  which  he  was 
eventually  to  preside  as  Governor,  and  of  which  he 
became  its  most  illustrious  citizen. 

He  was  unquestionably  dressed  in  the  peculiar 
and  picturesque  costume  of  the  times.  He  wore 
knee  breeches  of  buckskin,  and  a  voluminous  over 
coat,  lined  with  pockets  of  astonishing  capacity,  which 
pockets  were  crammed  with  shirts  and  stockings.  A 
low,  battered,  broad-brimmed  hat  covered  his  cluster 
ing  ringlets.  His  coarse  woolen  stockings  displayed 


48  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

to  advantage  the  admirably  moulded  calves  of  his 
legs.  Every  article  of  this  costume  was  draggled, 
shabby,  soiled,  and  much  of  it  tattered. 

With  an  indescribable  feeling  of  loneliness,  ex 
hausted  with  the  toilsome  and  sleepless  night,  and 
with  the  cravings  of  hunger,  he  sauntered  up  into 
the  town.  Coming  across  a  baker's  shop,  he  stepped 
in,  and  called  for  three  pennyworth  of  bread.  In 
Philadelphia,  food  was  abundant  and  bread  was 
cheap.  To  his  surprise  three  long  rolls  were  given 
to  him.  He  took  one  under  each  arm,  and  in  his 
hunger  the  homeless  boy  walked  along  devouring 
the  other.  Philadelphia  was  then  a  village  widely 
spread  out,  with  surrounding  vegetable  gardens,  and 
containing  a  population  of  about  seven  thousand 
inhabitants. 

Benjamin  walked  listlessly  along  as  far  as  Fourth 
stre-et.  He  chanced  to  pass  the  house  of  a  Mr. 
Read,  whose  very  pretty  daughter,  Deborah,  was 
standing  at  the  front  door.  She  was  eighteen  years 
of  age,  and  was  much  amused  at  the  comical  appear 
ance  which  the  young  man  presented  as  he 
passed  by. 

It  is  not  easy  to  imagine  in  these  days,  the  state 
of  society  in  these  early  settlements,  hewn  out  from 
the  forests  on  the  river's  banks,  and  with  the  unex 
plored  wilderness  spreading  out  to  unimagined 


DEVELOPMENTS   OF   CHARACTER.  49 

regions  in  the  interior.  At  night,  even  from  the 
houses  of  the  village,  the  howling  of  the  wolves  could 
be  heard  as  they  rushed  after  their  prey.  Bears  and 
deers  were  shot  in  abundance.  And  Indian  bands, 
painted  and  plumed,  were  ever  swarming  through  the 
streets. 

Franklin  walked  along,  devouring  his  rolls,  and 
returned  to  the  river  for  a  drink  of  water.  Such  was 
his  first  breakfast  in  Philadelphia.  In  the  boat  was 
a  poor  woman  with  her  child.  Franklin  gave  to  her 
the  two  remaining  rolls,  which  he  could  not  conve 
niently  carry  about  with  him. 

Not  knowing  what  to  do,  and  led  by  curiosity  to 
explore  the  town,  he  returned  to  Market  street, 
then  one  of  the  chief  avenues  of  the  city.  It  was  a 
little  after  ten  o'clock  in  the  morning.  The  street 
was  crowded  with  well-dressed  people,  pressing 
along  to  church.  There  was  one  important  edifice 
called  the  "  Great  Meeting  House  "  of  the  Quakers. 
It  stood  at  the  corner  of  Second  and  Market  streets. 

Franklin  joined  the  crowd,  and  took  his  seat  with 
the  vast  assembly.  He  soon  fell  soundly  asleep. 
The  hour  passed  away.  The  congregation  dis 
persed,  and  Benjamin  was  left  still  asleep.  Some 
one  then  kindly  awoke  the  tired  traveler,  and  he 
again  stepped  out  into  the  streets  so  lonely,  where 
there  was  not  an  individual  whom  he  knew,  and 
3 


5O  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

where  almost  without  money  he  could  find  no  refuge 
which  he  could  call  a  home. 

As  he  walked  toward  the  river,  he  met  a  young 
Quaker  whose  countenance  pleased  him.  Of  him  he 
inquired  where  he  could  find  a  respectable  and 
comfortable  lodging.  The  friendly  Quaker  led  him 
to  a  tavern,  near  Chestnut  street,  called  the 
"  Crooked  Billet."  Franklin  ordered  a  frugal  din 
ner,  threw  himself  upon  the  bed,  and  slept  till  supper 
time,  and  immediately  after  supper  went  to  bed 
and  slept  soundly  till  the  morning. 

He  had  now  been  from  home  eleven  days.  His 
money  was  nearly  expended.  His  clothes  were 
worn;  and  almost  the  only  hope  remaining  was 
the  very  visionary  one  that  Mr.  Bradford's  son 
might  possibly  have  some  employment  for  him. 
Early  in  the  morning  he  carefully  brushed  his  travel- 
worn  clothes,  his  shoes,  his  hat,  and  making  himself 
as  respectable  in  appearance  as  possible,  went  to  the 
house  of  the  printer,  Andrew  Bradford.  To  his  sur 
prise  and  gratification  he  found  the  father  there, 
who  had  just  arrived,  having  traveled  from  New 
York  to  Philadelphia  on  horseback. 

Benjamin  met  with  a  courteous  reception,  was 
invited  to  breakfast.  He  was,  however,  greatly  dis 
appointed  in  being  informed  that  Andrew  Bradford 
had  just  engaged  another  apprentice  to  take  the 


DEVELOPMENTS  OF  CHARACTER.       51 

place  of  the  one  who  was  lost.  Mr.  Bradford,  however, 
stated  that  there  was  a  man,  by  the  name  of  Keimer, 
who  had  recently  commenced  the  printing  business 
in  the  town,  and  might  have  employment  for  him. 
The  old  gentleman  kindly  offered  to  go  to  the  office 
with  Benjamin,  and  introduce  him  to  Keimer. 

They  found  Keimer  a  very  eccentric  looking  indi 
vidual,  in  a  small  office,  with  an  old  dilapidated  press, 
and  with  a  few  worn-out  types.  He  asked  the  young 
man  a  few  questions,  put  a  composing  stick  into 
his  hands,  and  professed  himself  satisfied  with  his 
work.  He  then  told  Franklin  that  he  could  find  no 
work  for  him  immediately,  but  he  thought  ere  long 
he  could  employ  him.  It  seems,  however,  that  at 
once  Benjamin  went  to  work,  repairing  the  dilapida 
ted  old  press,  while  he  continued  to  board  at  Mr. 
Bradford's,  paying  for  his  board  by  the  work  which 
he  performed. 


CHAPTER  III. 

Excursion  to  England. 

Attention  to  dress — Receives  a  visit  from  Gov.  Keith — His  visit  to 
Boston — Collins  returns  to  Philadelphia  with  him — Sir  William 
Keith's  aid — Excursions  on  the  Sabbath — Difficulty  with  Collins 
— Spending  Mr.  Vernon's  money — His  three  friends — Engage 
ment  with  Deborah  Read— Voyage  to  England — Keith's  deceit — 
Ralph — Franklin  enters  a  printing  house  in  London. 

THE  eccentric  Keimer  soon  found  that  Franklin 
was  a  workman  whose  services  would  be  invaluable 
to  him.  He  had  no  home  of  his  own,  but  bocame 
very  unwilling  that  Benjamin,  while  in  his  employ, 
should  board  in  the  family  of  a  rival  printer.  He 
therefore  made  arrangements  for  him  to  board  at  Mr. 
Read's,  whose  pretty  daughter,  Deborah,  had  made 
herself  merry  but  a  few  days  before  in  view  of  his 
uncouth  appearance. 

Fortunately  for  the  young  man,  who  was  never 
regardless  of  the  advantages  of  a  genteel  dress,  his 
chest  had  arrived  bringing  his  clothing.  He  was 
thus  able  to  present  himself  before  the  young  lady  in 
attractive  costume.  And  his  address  was  always  that 
of  an  accomplished  gentleman.  As  we  have  men 


EXCURSION  TO   ENGLAND.  53 

tioned,  he  was  ever  in  his  youth,  middle  life,  and  old 
age,  remarkable  for  his  personal  beauty. 

Bright  and  sunny  days  now  dawned  upon  Frank 
lin.  His  employer  appreciated  his  varied  and  won 
derful  merits.  He  received  good  wages.  The  family 
in  which  he  resided  was  highly  attractive,  and  he 
there  found  a  home  congenial  with  his  pure  and  re 
fined  tastes.  Several  months  passed  away  before  he 
heard  from  the  friends  he  had  left  in  Boston.  The 
tyranny  of  his  brother  had  so  greatly  offended  him, 
that  for  a  time  he  endeavored  to  exclude  from  his 
mind  all  thoughts  of  his  home.  He  heard,  however, 
that  one  of  his  sisters  had  married  Captain  Robert 
Holmes,  the  captain  of  a  vessel  sailing  between  Bos 
ton  and  the  ports  on  the  Delaware. 

In  those  piratical  days,  when  the  master  of  a  ship 
was  compelled  to  sail  with  guns  loaded  to  the  muz 
zle,  and  with  sharpened  sabres,  he  was  deemed  a  per 
sonage  of  great  importance.  No  weak  or  ordinary 
man  could  discharge  the  responsibilities  of  such  a 
post.  Captain  Holmes,  influenced  by  the  love  of 
his  wife,  wrote  to  Benjamin  informing  him  of  the 
grief  his  departure  had  caused  the  family,  entreating 
him  to  return,  and  assuring  him  that  all  the  past 
should  be  forgotten. 

Benjamin,  in  his  reply,  wrote  with  such  precision 
and  force  of  logic,  that  Captain  Holmes  became  sat- 


54  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

isfied  that  he  was  by  no  means  so  much  in  the  wrong 
as  he  had  supposed.  It  so  chanced  that  when  the 
captain  received  this  letter,  he  was  in  company  with 
Sir  William  Keith,  then  the  Governor  of  Penn 
sylvania.  He  read  the  letter  to  the  Governor.  Sir 
William  was  charmed  with  its  literary  and  rhetorical 
ability;  and  could  scarcely  believe  that  the  writer 
was  but  eighteen  years  of  age. 

"  The  Philadelphia  printers/'  said  he,  "  are 
wretched  ones.  Keimer  is  a  compound  of  fool  and 
rogue.  But  this  young  man  is  manifestly  of  great 
promise  and  ought  to  be  encouraged." 

One  day  Benjamin  and  his  master  were  working 
together,  when  they  saw  two  well-dressed  gentlemen 
approaching.  They  proved  to  be  the  Governor  of 
Pennsylvania,  Sir  William  Keith,  and  Franklin's 
brother-in-law,  Captain  Holmes,  whom  he  probably 
had  never  before  seen.  Keimer  ran  down  stairs  to 
meet  them,  supposing,  of  course,  that  he  must  be  the 
man  who  was  entitled  to  the  honor  of  their  visit.  To 
his  surprise  they  inquired  for  his  apprentice,  and 
went  up  the  stairs  to  the  printing  office  to  see  him. 

Benjamin  was  quite  overwhelmed  by  the  honors 
with  which  he  was  greeted.  The  Governor  paid  him 
many  compliments,  expressed  an  earnest  desire  to 
make  his  acquaintance,  and  politely  censured  him 
for  not  calling  at  the  gubernatorial  mansion  upon  his 


EXCURSION  TO  ENGLAND.  55 

arrival  in  Philadelphia.  The  interview  was  terminated 
by  taking  Franklin  with  them  to  a  neighboring  tavern 
to  dine.  There  the  three  met  upon  apparently  perfect 
social  equality,  and  very  freely  discussed  many  im 
portant  matters  as  they  drank  their  wine. 

The  Governor,  a  very  plausible,  unreliable  man, 
ever  lavish  of  promises  without  performance,  pro 
posed  that  Franklin,  aided  by  funds  from  his  father, 
should  open  a  printing  office  for  himself.  He  prom 
ised  to  exert  his  influence  to  secure  for  his  young 
protege  the  public  printing  of  both  the  provinces  of 
Pennsylvania  and  Delaware.  When  Franklin  sug 
gested  that  he  feared  his  father  would  be  either  un 
able  or  unwilling  to  furnish  the  needed  funds,  the 
Governor  promised  to  write  to  him  with  his  own 
hand,  explaining  the  advantages  of  the  scheme. 

During  the  protracted  interview,  it  was  decided 
that  Benjamin  should  return  to  Boston  by  the  first 
vessel.  He  was  to  take  with  him  Sir  William's  letter, 
and  thus  aided,  endeavor  to  win  over  his  father  to 
their  plans. 

A  week  or  two  elapsed  before  there  was  a  vessel 
ready  to  sail  for  Boston.  At  that  time  the  social 
rank  of  a  printer  was  decidedly  above  that  of  other 
mechanic  arts.  There  was  something  sacred  at 
tached  to  the  employment,  and  it  was  regarded  as 
near  akin  to  the  learned  professions.  Franklin  was 


56  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

frequently  invited  to  dine  with  the  Governor.  His 
perfect  self-possession,  his  careful  dress  and  pol 
ished  address,  united  with  his  wonderful  conversa 
tional  powers,  rendered  him  a  great  favorite  with  all 
the  distinguished  guests  whom  he  was  accustomed 
to  meet  at  the  table  of  the  Governor. 

The  latter  part  of  April,  1724,  Franklin,  then 
eighteen  years  of  age,  took  passage  in  a  small  vessel 
for  Boston.  His  friends  in  Philadelphia  generally 
understood  that  he  was  going  home  merely  to  visit 
his  friends.  It  was  deemed  expedient  to  throw  the 
veil  of  great  secrecy  over  the  enterprise  in  which  he 
was  contemplating  to  engage. 

The  voyage  was  exceedingly  tempestuous.  The 
vessel  sprang  aleak.  For  some  time  passengers  and 
crew  worked  at  the  pumps  night  and  day.  But 
after  being  buffeted  by  winds  and  waves  for  fourteen 
dreary  days,  the  little  vessel  cast  anchor  in  the  har 
bor  of  Boston.  Franklin  had  then  been  absent  from 
home  seven  months. 

His  sudden  appearance  was  a  great  surprise  to  all 
the  members  of  the  numerous  family.  It  is  not  sur 
prising  that  the  young  man,  elated  by  his  brilliant 
prospects,  assumed  rather  lordly  airs.  His  dress 
was  new  and  quite  elegant.  He  had  purchased  a  hand 
some  watch,  which  he  was  not  reluctant  to  display. 
He  had  in  his  pocket  twenty-five  dollars  of  silver  coin. 


EXCURSION  TO   ENGLAND.  57 

Franklin's  brother  James,  from  whom  he  had  run 
away,  was  greatly  annoyed  by  the  airs  of  superiority 
assumed  by  his  old  apprentice.  With  a  cold  and 
almost  scornful  eye,  he  scanned  his  person  from 
head  to  foot,  scarcely  offering  his  hand  in  greeting, 
and  soon  coldly  and  silently  returned  to  his  work. 
But  the  imperial  young  man  was  not  thus  to  be  put 
down.  His  former  acquaintances  gathered  eagerly 
around  him  and  listened  with  intensest  iaterest  to 
the  narrative  of  his  adventures.  In  glowing  terms, 
Benjamin  described  his  new  home  in  Philadelphia, 
drew  out  from  his  pocket  handfuls  of  silver  which 
he  exhibited  to  them,  and  with  quite  lordly  dignity 
gave  his  former  fellow-journeymen  money  to  go  to 
the  ale  house  for  a  treat. 

The  candid  reader  will  make  some  allowances  for 
the  conduct  of  Benjamin,  when  he  remembers  that 
but  a  few  months  before,  he  had  run  away  to  escape 
the  cudgel  of  his  brother.  He  will  also  feel  inclined 
to  make  some  allowance  for  James,  when  informed 
that  he  was  in  adversity,  and  struggling  severely 
with  pecuniary  embarrassment.  The  Courant,  de 
prived  of  the  graphic  pen  of  Franklin,  was  rapidly 
losing  its  subscribers,  and  soon  became  extinct. 

Benjamin's  father  Josiah,  who  needed  in  his  own 
business  every  dollar  of  the  funds  he  could  raise, 
silently  and  almost  without  remark,  read  the  letter 


58  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

of  Sir  William  Keith,  and  listened  attentively  to  the 
glowing  descriptions  of  his  son.  Soon  after  Captain 
Holmes  arrived.  The  judicious  father  conversed 
fully  with  him,  and  expressed  his  opinion  that  Sir 
William  Keith  must  be  a  man  of  but  little  discretion 
to  think  of  setting  up  independently,  in  very  respon 
sible  business,  a  young  man  of  but  eighteen  years 
of  age. 

Though  Captain  Holmes  earnestly  advocated  the 
views  of  the  Governor,  Josiah  Franklin,  after  mature 
deliberation,  decisively  declined  furnishing  the  ne 
cessary  funds. 

"  Benjamin,"  said  he,  "  is  too  young  to  under 
take  an  enterprise  so  important.  I  am  much  grati 
fied  that  he  has  been  able  to  secure  the  approbation 
of  the  Governor  of  Pennsylvania,  and  that  by  his 
industry  and  fidelity  he  has  been  able  to  attain 
prosperity  so  remarkable.  If  he  will  return  to  Phila 
delphia  and  work  diligently  until  he  is  twenty-one, 
carefully  laying  up  his  surplus  earnings,  I  will  then 
do  everything  in  my  power  to  aid  him." 

The  cautious  Christian  father  then  gave  his  son 
some  very  salutary  advice.  He  entreated  him  to  be 
more  careful  in  throwing  out  his  arrows  of  satire, 
and  to  cease  presenting,  in  the  aspect  of  the  ridicu 
lous,  so  many  subjects  which  religious  men  re 
garded  with  veneration.  He  wrote  a  very  court- 


EXCURSION  TO   ENGLAND.  59 

ecus  letter  to  Sir  William  Keith,  thanking  him  for 
his  kindness  to  his  son,  and  stating  his  reasons  for 
declining  the  proposed  aid.  Indeed,  Josiah  Frank 
lin  was  intellectually,  morally,  and  in  all  sound 
judgment,  immeasurably  the  superior  of  the  fickle 
and  shallow  royal  Governor. 

Sixty  years  after  this  visit  of  Franklin  to  his 
paternal  home,  he  wrote  a  letter  to  the  son  of  the 
Rev.  Cotton  Mather,  from  which  we  make  the  fol 
lowing  pleasing  extract : 

"  The  last  time  I  saw  your  father  was  in  the 
beginning  of  1724,  when  I  visited  him  after  my  first 
trip  to  Pennsylvania.  He  received  me  in  his  libra 
ry  ;  and  on  my  taking  leave  showed  me  a  shorter 
way  out  of  the  house  through  a  narrow  passage 
which  was  crossed  by  a  beam  overhead.  We  were 
still  talking  as  I  withdrew,  he  accompanying  me 
behind,  and  I,  turning  partly  toward  him,  when  he 
said  hastily,  stoop,  stoop !  I  did  not  understand 
him  till  I  felt  my  head  hit  against  the  beam.  He 
was  a  man  that  never  missed  any  occasion  of  giving 
instruction  ;  and  upon  this  he  said  to  me  '  You  are 
young  and  have  the  world  before  you.  Stoop  as 
you  go  through  it,  and  you  will  miss  many  hard 
thumps.  This  advice,  thus  beat  into  my  head,  has 
frequently  been  of  use  to  me.  And  I  often  think  of 
it  when  I  see  pride  mortified  and  misfortunes  brought 


60  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

upon    people    by    their    carrying    their   heads    too 

high." 

There  was  in  Boston  a  young  man  by  the  name 
of  Collins,  a  reckless,  dissipated  spendthrift,  of  very 
considerable  personal  attractions.  He  had  been 
quite  an  intimate  friend  of  Franklin ;  and  was  so 
pleased  with  his  descriptions  of  Philadelphia  that  he 
decided  to  remove  there.  This  proved  one  of  the 
calamities  of  Franklin's  life. 

Franklin  eventually  embarked,  in  a  sloop,  for  his 
return.  It  touched  at  Newport.  His  brother  John 
lived  there,  pursuing  the  trade  of  a  candle-maker. 
Benjamin  was  received  by  him  with  great  cordiality. 
At  Newport,  among  the  other  passengers,  two 
young  girls  were  taken  on  board  for  New  York. 
They  \vere  showy,  voluble,  gaudily  dressed.  All 
their  arts  were  exerted  to  secure  intimate  associa 
tion  with  Franklin. 

A  venerable  Quaker  lady  on  board  .called  the 
inexperienced  young  man  aside,  and  with  motherly 
tenderness  warned  him  against  their  wiles.  Though 
he  doubted  the  necessity  of  this  caution,  he  was 
put  upon  his  guard.  When  the  girls  left  at  New 
York,  he  declined  their  pressing  invitation  for  him 
to  visit  them  at  their  home,  and  he  learned  from 
the  captain  that  they  had  undoubtedly  stolen 
from  him  a  silver  spoon,  an  article  then  not  often 


EXCURSION  TO   ENGLAND.  6 1 

seen  in  common  life,  and  highly  prized.  They 
were  charged  with  the  crime,  convicted,  and  it  is 
said  that  they  were  publicly  whipped  in  the  market 
place. 

Upon  Franklin's  arrrival  at  New  York,  Collins, 
the  playmate  of  his  childhood,  was  one  of  the  first 
to  meet  him.  In  his  earlier  days  he  had  been  sober, 
industrious,  and  was  highly  esteemed  for  his  mental 
powers  and  attainments.  But  he  had  become  in 
temperate  and  a  gambler,  and  was  every  day  intoxi 
cated.  Reduced  almost  to  beggary,  Franklin  felt 
compelled  to  furnish  him  with  money  to  save  him 
from  starvation.  Penniless  he  had  come  on  board 
the  boat  at  New  York,  and  Franklin  paid  his 
passage  to  Philadelphia. 

William  Burnett  was  then  Governor  of  New 
York.  He  was  very  fond  of  books  and  had  col 
lected  a  large  library.  Franklin  also  had  the  same 
taste  and  had  a  large  number  of  books  which  he  .was 
conveying  to  Philadelphia.  The  captain  informed 
the  Governor  that  he  had  a  young  man  on  board 
fond  of  books,  and  of  superior  literary  attainments. 
The  Governor  begged  the  captain  to  bring  young 
Franklin  to  see  him. 

"  I  waited  upon  him/'  wrote  Franklin,  "  and 
would  have  taken  Collins  with  me  had  he  been 
sober.  The  Governor  received  me  with  great 


02  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

civility;  and  we  had  a  good  deal  of  conversation 
relative  to  books  and  authors.  This  was  the  second 
Governor  who  had  done  me  the  honor  to  take 
notice  of  me,  and  to  a  poor  boy  like  me  it  was  very 
pleasing." 

Upon  reaching  Philadelphia,  Franklin  presented 
the  letter  of  his  father  to  Sir  William  Keith.  The 
Governor,  upon  reading  the  letter,  said, 

"  Your  father  is  too  prudent.  There  is  a  great 
difference  in  persons.  Discretion  does  not  always 
accompany  years ;  nor  is  youth  always  without  it. 
But  since  he  will  not  set  you  up,  I  will  do  it  myself. 
Give  me  an  inventory  of  the  things  necessary  to  be 
had  from  England,  and  I  will  send  for  them.  You 
shall  repay  me  when  you  are  able.  I  am  resolved 
to  have  a  good  printer  here  and  I  am  sure  you  must 
succeed." 

Franklin  supposed  of  course,  that  he  could  rely 
upon  the  word  of  the  Governor.  He  drew  up  an 
inventory  of  goods  to  the  amount  of  about  five 
hundred  dollars.  The  strange  Governor,  who  found 
it  very  easy  to  talk,  ran  his  eye  over  the  list  and 
as  if  money  were  a  consideration  of  no  moment  to 
him,  and  suggested  that  Franklin  should  go  to  Lon 
don  in  person.  Greatly  elated  at  this  idea,  young 
Franklin  eagerly  embraced  it,  and  the  Governor 
directed  him  to  be  ready  to  embark  in  the  Annis,  a 


EXCURSION  TO   ENGLAND.  63 

ship  which  sailed  regularly  between  London  and 
Philadelphia,  leaving  each  port  once  a  year. 

Several  months  would  elapse  before  the  ship 
would  sail.  Sir  William  enjoined  it  upon  Franklin 
to  keep  their  plans  in  the  utmost  secrecy.  Conse 
quently,  Franklin  continued  to  work  for  Keimer,  not 
giving  him  the  slightest  intimation  that  measures 
were  in  progress  for  the  establishment  in  Philadelphia, 
of  a  printing  house  which  would  entirely  overshadow 
his  own.  This  secrecy  which  was  practiced  also  pre 
vented  any  one  from  informing  Franklin  of  the 
Governor's  real  character,  as  a  vain,  unreliable,  gas 
conading  boaster. 

Six  months  passed  away.  They  were  with 
Franklin  happy  months.  He  was  in  perfect  health, 
greatly  enjoyed  his  own  physical  and  intellectual 
attributes,  was  much  caressed,  and  was  engaged  in 
lucrative  employment.  He  was  highly  convivial  in 
his  tastes,  very  fond  of  social  pleasures,  of  the  wine 
cup  and  of  the  song  :  and  on  Sundays  in  particular, 
the  enchanting  forests  of  the  Schuylkill  resounded 
with  the  songs  and  the  shouts  of  the  merry  baccha 
nals,  led  by  Franklin,  who  was  ever  recognized  as 
their  chief. 

There  probably  never  Was  a  young  man  more 
skillful  than  Benjamin  Franklin  in  plucking  the  rose 
and  avoiding  the  thorn.  In  all  his  festivities  he  was 


64  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

the  thoughtful  philosopher.  Never  did  he  drink  to 
excess  ;  no  money  was  squandered  at  the  gaming 
table.  Carefully  he  avoided  all  views  which  he 
deemed  vulgar  and  degrading  ;  and  he  made  it  the 
general  rule  of  his  life,  to  avoid  everything  which 
would  bring  pain  to  his  body,  or  remorse  to  his  soul. 

Still  man  is  born  to  mourn.  Even  Franklin 
could  not  escape  the  general  lot.  The  drunken 
Collins  became  his  constant  scourge.  Franklin  felt, 
constrained  to  lend  his  old  friend  money.  He  had 
been  entrusted  by  a  family  friend,  a  Mr.  Vernon,  to 
collect  a  debt  of  about  fifty  dollars.  This  money 
he  was  to  retain  till  called  for.  But  to  meet  his  own 
expenses  and  those  of  his  spendthrift  companion,  he 
began  to  draw  upon  it,  until  it  all  disappeared.  He 
was  then  troubled  with  the  apprehension  that  the 
money  might  be  demanded.  Bitter  were  the  quar 
rels  which  arose  between  him  and  John  Collins. 
His  standard  of  morality  which  was  perhaps  not  less 
elevated  than  that  which  the  majority  of  imperfect 
professing  Christians  practice,  was  certainly  below 
that  which  the  religion  of  Jesus  Christ  enjoins.  Had 
he  been  a  true  Christian  according  to  the  doctrines 
and  precepts  of  Jesus,  he  would  have  escaped  these 
accumulating  sorrows. 

This  breaking  in  upon  his  friend  Vernon's  money, 
and  spending  it,  he  pronounces  in  his  auto-biogra- 


EXCURSION  TO   ENGLAND.  65 

phy,  to  have  been  the  first  great  error  of  his  life. 
Though  it  so  chanced  that  the  money  was  not 
required  until  Franklin  was  able  to  pay  it,  yet  for 
several  months  he  was  in  the  endurance  of  intense 
mental  anxiety  and  constant  self-reproach. 

At  length,  Collins  and  Franklin  became  so  antag 
onistic  to  each  other  as  to  proceed  to  violence. 
They  were  on  a  pleasure  party  in  a  boat  down  the 
river.  Collins,  as  usual,  was  intoxicated.  The 
wrath  of  the  muscular  Benjamin  was  so  aroused,  by 
some  act  of  abuse,  that  he  seized  the  fellow  by  the 
collar  and  pitched  him  overboard.  Collins  was  a 
good  swimmer.  They  therefore  kept  him  in  the 
water  till  he  was  nearly  drowned.  When  pretty 
thoroughly  humbled,  and  upon  his  most  solemn 
promise  of  good  behavior,  he  was  again  taken  on 
board.  Seldom  after  this  was  a  word  exchanged 
between  them.  Collins,  deeply  indebted  to  Franklin, 
accepted  of  some  business  offer  at  Barbadoes.  He 
sailed  for  that  island,  and  was  never  heard  of  more. 

Almost  every  young  man  has  a  few  particular 
friends.  The  three  most  intimate  companions  of 
Benjamin  Franklin  were  young  men  of  his  own  rank 
and  age,  of  very  dissimilar  characters,  but  having  a 
common  taste  for  business.  They  were  all  clerks. 
One  of  these,  Joseph  Watson,  was,  according  to 
Franklin's  description,  "  a  pious,  sensible  young  man 


66  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

of  great  integrity."  It  would  seem  that  they  were 
all  persons  of  very  estimable  character,  though  some 
of  them  had  imbibed  Franklin's  skeptical  opinions. 
They  spent  many  of  their  Sabbaths,  wandering  on 
the  banks  of  the  romantic  Schuylkill,  reading  to  each 
other  their  compositions  in  prose  and  verse. 

James  Ralph,  who  was  very  emphatic  in  his  deis- 
tical  views,  in  his  enthusiasm,  decided  to  devote 
himself  to  the  art  of  rhyming.  The  sensible  Frank 
lin  tried  to  dissuade  him  from  his  folly,  but  in  vain. 
On  one  occasion  they  all  agreed  to  attempt  a  version 
of  the  Eighteenth  Psalm.  This  sublime  production 
of  an  inspired  pen  contains,  in  fifty  verses,  imagery 
as  grand  and  sentiments  as  beautiful,  as  perhaps  can 
anywhere  else  be  found,  within  the  same  compass,  in 
any  language.  It  certainly  speaks  well  for  the  intel 
lectual  acumen  of  these  young  men,  and  for  their 
devotional  instincts,  that  they  should  have  selected 
so  noble  a  theme.  As  their  main  object  was  to  im 
prove  themselves  in  the  command  of  language,  and  in 
the  power  of  expression,  they  could  not  have  chosen 
a  subject  more  appropriate,  than  the  Psalmist's  de 
scription  of  the  descent  of  God  to  earth. 

"  He  bowed  the  heavens  also  and  came  down ;  and  darkness  was 

under  his  feet. 

And  He  rode  upon  a  cherub  and  did  fly  ; 
Yea  he  did  fly  upon  the  wings  of  the  wind. 
He  made  darkness  his  secret  place. 


EXCURSION  TO   ENGLAND.  6/ 

His  pavilion   round  about  him  were  dark  waters,  thick  clouds  of 

the  skies. 

At  the  brightness  which  was  before  him  his  thick  clouds  passed. 
Hail  stones  and  coals  of  fire."* 

Joseph  Watson  died  quite  young,  in  the  arms 
of  Franklin.  Charles  Osborne  acquired  money  and 
reputation,  as  a  lawyer.  Removing  to  the  West 
Indies,  he  died,  in  the  prime  of  life,. 

Franklin  and  Osborne  entered  into  the  agree 
ment,  which  has  so  often  been  made,  that  whichever 
should  first  die,  should,  if  possible,  return  to  the 
other  and  reveal  to  him  the  secrets  of  the  spirit 
land.  It  is  hardly  necessary  to  say  that  Franklin 
watched  long  in  vain,  for  a  visit  from  his  departed 
companion. 

Two  months  before  Franklin  sailed  for  London, 
Mr.  Read,  with  whom  he  boarded,  died.  With  the 
father,  mother,  and  very  pretty  and  amiable  daugh 
ter,  Deborah,  Franklin  had  found  a  happy  home. 
A  strong  affection  apparently  sprang  up  between  the 

*The  intelligent  reader  will  recall  the  glowing  version  of  this 
Psalm,  by  Steinhold. 

"  The  Lord  descended  from  above, 

And  bowed  the  heavens  most  high  ; 
And  underneath  his  feet  he  cast 

The  darkness  of  the  sky. 
On  cherub  and  on  cherubim, 

Full  royally  he  rode  ; 
And  on  the  wings  of  mighty  winds, 

Came  flying  all  abroad." 


68  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

two  young  people.  She  was  seventeen  years  of  age, 
and  Franklin  eighteen.  Their  union  would  be  em 
inently  fitting,  as  in  fortune  and  position  in  society, 
they  were  on  the  same  level. 

Franklin,  enjoying  the  patronage  of  the  governor, 
and  with,  as  he  supposed,  very  brilliant  prospects 
before  him,  entered  into  an  engagement  with  Debo 
rah,  and  was  anxious  to  be  married  before  he  em 
barked  for  England,  designing  to  leave  his  young 
bride  at  home  with  her  mother.  But  Mrs.  Read,  in 
consideration  of  their  youth,  urged  that  the  nuptials 
should  be  postponed  until  after  his  return. 

Sir  William  Keith  continued  to  invite  Franklin 
to  his  house,  and  lavished  commendation  and  prom 
ises  upon  him.  Still  he  continually  postponed  giving 
him  any  letters  of  credit  with  which  he  could  pur 
chase  types,  paper  and  press.  Though,  as  the  hour 
for  sailing  approached,  Franklin  called  again  and 
again  to  obtain  the  needful  documents,  he  was  con 
tinually  met  with  apologies.  At  length,  the  day  for 
the  ship  to  weigh  anchor  arrived.  It  was  about  the 
5th  of  November,  1724. 

At  that  late  hour  the  private  secretary  of  the 
Governor  called  upon  Franklin  and  informed  him 
that.  Sir  William  would  meet  him  at  Newcastle, 
where  the  vessel  was  to  cast  anchor,  and  would  then 
and  there,  deliver  to  him  all  the  important  docu- 


EXCURSION  TO   ENGLAND.  69 

ments.  Franklin  went  on  board.  The  ship  dropped 
down  the  broad  and  beautiful  Delaware,  whose 
banks  were  brilliant  with  foliage  in  their  richest 
autumnal  brilliance,  about  thirty-two  miles  below 
Philadelphia,  to  Newcastle.  To  the  great  disappoint 
ment  of  Franklin,  the  Governor  still  did  not  appear. 
He  however  sent  his  secretary,  with  a  profusion  of 
excuses,  and  professing  to  be  pressed  with  business 
of  the  utmost  importance,  promised  to  send  the 
letters  to  the  captain  before  the  vessel  would  be  per 
mitted  to  sail. 

Franklin,  naturally  buoyant  and  hopeful,  did  not 
even  then,  consider  it  possible  that  the  Governor 
was  intending  to  deceive  him.  Neither  was  it  possi 
ble  to  conceive  of  any  motive  which  would  induce 
Sir  William  to  betray  him  by  so  deceptive  a  game. 
At  length  a  bag  from  the  Governor,  apparently  filled 
with  letters  and  dispatches,  was  brought  on  board, 
and  again  the  vessel  unfurled  her  sails.  Franklin, 
with  some  solicitude,  asked  for  those  which  were  di 
rected  to  him.  Bat  Captain  Annis,  all  engrossed 
with  the  cares  of  embarkation,  said  that  he  was  too 
busy  to  examine  the  bag  at  that  time,  but  that  they 
would,  at  their  leisure,  on  the  voyage  select  the 
letters. 

On  the  loth  of  November,  1724,  the  good  ship, 
the  London  Hope,  pushed  out  from  the  Delaware 


70  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

upon  the  broad  Atlantic.  We  know  not  whether 
Franklin  was  surprised  to  find  on  board,  as  one  of 
the  .passengers,  his  poetical  deistical  friend  James 
Ralph.  This  young  man,  who  had  renounced  Chris 
tianity,  in  the  adoption  of  principles,  which  he  pro 
fessed  to  believe  conducive  to  the  formation  of  a 
much  higher  moral  character,  had  deliberately  aban 
doned  his  wife  and  child  to  seek  his  fortune  in  Lon 
don  He  had  deceived  them  by  the  most  false 
representation.  Carefully  he  concealed  from  Frank 
lin,  his  unprincipled  conduct  and  visionary  schemes. 

The  voyage  was  long  and  rough,  as  the  vessel  did 
not  reach  London  until  the  twenty-fourth  of  No 
vember.  On  the  passage  he  very  carefully,  with  the 
captain,  examined  the  letter-bag.  But  no  letter  was 
found  addressed  to  him.  There  were  several,  how 
ever,  addressed  to  other  persons,  with  Franklin's 
name  upon  the  envelope  as  if  they  were  in  his  care. 
As  one  of  these  was  addressed  to  the  king's  printer 
and  another  to  a  stationer  in  London,  the  sanguine 
young  man  through  all  the  dreary  and  protracted 
voyage,  clung  to  the  hope  that  all  was  right. 

Upon  arriving  in  London,  Franklin  hastened 
first  to  the  stationer's  and  presented  him  with  the 
letter,  saying  to  him,  "  Here  is  a  letter  from  Gov 
ernor  Keith,  of  Pennsylvania."  The  stationer  looked 
up  with  surprise  and  said  : 


EXCURSION   TO   ENGLAND.  71 

"  Governor  Keith  !  I  do  not  know  of  any  such 
person."  Then  breaking  the  seal,  and  looking  at 
the  signature,  he  said  very  contemptuously,  "  Rid- 
dlesden.  I  have  lately  found  him  to  be  a  complete 
rascal.  I  will  have  nothing  to  do  with  him,  nor 
receive  any  letters  from  him."* 

So  saying  he  thrust  the  letter  back  into  Frank 
lin's  hand,  and  turned  away  to  serve  a  customer. 
Franklin  was  almost  stunned  with  this  intelligence. 
He  immediately  conferred  with  a  Mr.  Denham,  a 
judicious  friend  whose  acquaintance  he  had  made 
on  board  the  ship.  They  ascertained  that  the  in 
famous  Governor,  from  motives  which  it  is  difficult 
to  comprehend,  had  not  furnished  Franklin  with  a 
single  document.  There  was  not  a  bill  of  credit  or 
a  single  letter  of  introduction,  commending  the 
young  adventurer  to  people  in  London.  Den- 
ham  then  told  him  that  no  one  who  knew  Keith 
had  the  slightest  confidence  in  his  promises.  That 
the  idea  that  he  would  furnish  him  with  any  letters 
of  credit  was  preposterous,  since  Sir  William  had  no 
credit  with  any  body. 

And  thus  Franklin  found  himself  with  his  com- 

*  We  both  of  us  happen  to  know,  as  well  as  the  stationer,  that  Rid- 
dlesden,  the  attorney,  was  a  very  knave.  He  had  half  ruined  Miss 
Read's  father  by  persuading  him  to  be  bound  for  him.  By  his  let 
ter  it  appeared  there  was  a  secret  scheme  on  foot  to  the  prejudice  of 
Mr.  Hamilton  ;  that  Keith  was  concerned  in  it  with  Riddlesden. 
— Works  of  Franklin,  by  Sparks,  vol.  i,  p.  55. 


?2  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

panion  James  Ralph,  alone  in  the  great  world  of 
London,  without  any  letters  of  introduction,  with 
out  any  prospect  of  employment,  and  almost  with 
out  money.  The  virtues  of  Franklin  had  exerted  a 
restraining  influence  upon  the  unprincipled  Ralph, 
and  Franklin  had  not  as  yet  become  acquainted 
with  the  true  basis  of  his  character.  The  two  young 
men  met  together  to  consult  in  this  dilemma  and  to 
examine  their  finances.  It  appeared  that  Ralph 
had  scarcely  one  penny  in  his  pocket.  He  had 
intended  to  be  a  hanger-on  upon  Franklin,  in  whose 
ability  to  take  care  of  himself  and  others  he  had  the 
greatest  confidence.  Franklin's  purse  contained 
about  fifty  dollars. 

Again  he  returned  to  consult  with  Mr.  Denham. 
He  very  wisely  advised  Franklin  to  seek  employ 
ment  in  some  of  the  printing  offices  in  London. 
He  encouraged  him  with  the  thought  that  thus  with 
a  few  months'  labor,  he  might  not  only  pay  his 
expenses,  but  also  lay  up  a  sufficient  sum  to  defray 
his  passage  home. 

Franklin  gradually  perceived  to  his  dismay,  what 
an  old  man  of  the  sea  he  had  got  upon  his  shoulders 
in  the  person  of  James  Ralph.  The  following  is  his 
calm  comment  upon  the  atrocious  conduct  of 
Keith  : 

"  What  shall  we  think,"  he  writes,  "  of  a  gov- 


EXCURSION  TO   ENGLAND.  73 

ernor  playing  such  pitiful  tricks,  and  imposing  so 
grossly  upon  a  poor  ignorant  boy  ?  It  was  a  habit 
he  had  acquired  ;  he  wished  to  please  every  body, 
and  having  little  to  give,  he  gave  expectations.  He 
was  otherwise  an  ingenuous,  sensible  man,  a  pretty 
good  writer,  and  a  good  governor  for  the  people, 
though  not  for  his  constituents  the  proprietaries. 
Several  of  our  best  laws  were  of  his  planning,  and 
passed  during  his  administration." 

The  entire  absence  of  anger  in  this  statement, 
has  won  for  Franklin  great  commendation. 

With  his  dependent  protege  Ralph,  he  took 
humble  lodgings  in  Little  Britain  street.  Ralph 
had  remarkable  powers  of  conversation,  with  much 
more  than  ordinary  literary  talent,  and  could,  when 
ever  he  wished,  make  himself  very  agreeable  and 
almost  fascinating  as  a  companion.  But  he  was 
quite  a  child  as  to  all  ability  to  take  care  of  himself. 
Franklin  really  loved  him  at  that  time.  He  was  a 
very  handsome  young  man,  graceful  in  his  demean 
or;  and  those  who  listened  to  his  eloquent  ha 
rangues  would  imagine  that  he  was  destined  to 
attain  to  greatness. 

Franklin  immediately  applied  for  work  at  the 
great  printing  establishment  of  Palmer  in  Bartholo 
mew  Close.  Fifty  journeymen  were  here  employed. 
He  promptly  entered  into  a  contract  with  the 


74  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

proprieter  for  the  remuneration  of  about  six  dollars 
a  week.  Ralph,  characteristically  hurried  to  the 
theatre  to  enter  upon  the  profession  of  a  play-actor. 
Being  disappointed  in  that  attempt,  his  next  plan 
was  to  edit  a. newspaper  to  be  called  the  Spectator. 
Not  being  able  to  find  a  publisher,  he  then  went  the 
rounds  of  the  law  offices,  in  search  of  copying,  but 
not  even  this,  -could  he  obtain.  In  the  meantime 
they  were  both  supported  by  the  purse  of  Franklin. 
With  fifty  dollars  in  his  pocket,  and  earning  six 
dollars  a  week,  he  felt  quite  easy  in  his  circum 
stances,  and  was  quite  generous  in  his  expenditure 
for  their  mutual  enjoyment. 


CHAPTER  IV. 
Mental  and  Moral  Conflicts. 

Faithfulness  to  work — Neglect  of  Deborah  Read — Treatise  on  Lib 
erty  and  Necessity — Skill  in  swimming — Return  to  America — 
Marriage  of  Miss  Read — Severe  sickness — Death  of  Mr.  Denham 
— Returns  to  Keimer's  employ — The  Junto — His  Epitaph — Re 
formation  of  his  treatise  on  Liberty  and  Necessity. — Franklin's 
creed. ' 

FRANKLIN  and  Ralph  were  essentially  congenial 
in  their  tastes.  Neither  of  them  were  religiously  in 
clined  in  the  ordinary  acceptation  of  those  words. 
But  the  thoughtful  philosophy  of  Franklin  has  by 
many  been  regarded  as  the  development  of  an  in 
stinctively  religious  character.  They  were  both 
exceedingly  fond  of  amusement  and  especially  of 
pleasure  excursions  on  the  Sabbath.  Very  seldom, 
did  either  the  intellect  or  the  heart  lure  them  to 
listen  to  such  teachings  at  they  would  hear  from  the 
pulpit.  It  certainly  would  have  been  better  for 
them  both,  had  they  been  church-going  young  men. 
There  was  no  pulpit  in  all  London  from  which  they 
would  not  hear  the  reiterated  counsel,  Cease  to  do 
evil ;  learn  to  do  well. 


?6  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

Franklin  was  faithful  in  the  highest  degree  to  his 
employer.  Weary  with  the  day's  toil,  which  with 
his  active  mind  was  highly  intellectual  as  well  as 
mechanical,  he  almost  invariably  in  the  evening 
sought  recreation  with  Ralph  in  the  theatre.  It  is 
safe  to  infer  that  the  best  productions  of  our  best 
dramatists,  were  those  which  would  most  interest 
the  mind  of  our  young  philosopher.  Ralph  was 
daily  gaining  an  increasing  influence  over  his  mind. 
It  is  said  that  we  are  prone  to  love  more  ardently 
those  upon  whom  we  confer  favors  than  those  from 
whom  we  receive  them. 

To  these  two  young  men  the  pleasures  of  Lon 
don  seemed  inexhaustible.  Franklin  began  to  for 
get  his  old  home  and  his  friends.  He  began  to  think 
that  London  was  a  very  pleasant  place  of  residence, 
and  that  it  was  doubtful  whether  he  should  ever 
return  to  America  again.  He  had  constant  employ 
ment,  the  prospect  of  an  increasing  income,  and  with 
his  economical  habits  he  had  ample  funds  to  relieve 
himself  from  all  pecuniary  embarrassment.  With 
his  friend  Ralph,  he  was  leading  a  very  jovial  life, 
free  from  all  care. 

His  love  for  Deborah  Read  began  to  vanish  away. 
He  thought  very  seldom  of  her :  seldom  could  he 
find  time  to  write  to  her ;  and  ere  long  his  letters 
ceased  altogether ;  and  she  was  cruelly  left  to  the 


MENTAL  AND   MORAL  CONFLICTS.  ?/ 

uncertainty  of  whether  he  was  alive  or  dead.  Ralph 
had  entirely  forgotten  his  wife  and  child,  and  Frank 
lin  had  equally  forgotten  his  affianced.  In  subse 
quent  years  the  memory  of  this  desertion  seems  to 
have  weighed  heavily  on  him.  He  wrote  in  his 
advanced  life  in  reference  to  his  treatment  of  Deb 
orah, 

"  This  was  another  of  the  great  errors  of  my  life  ; 
which  I  could  wish  to  correct  were  I  to  live  it  over 
again." 

For  nearly  a  year,  Franklin  thus  continued  in 
the  employment  of  Mr.  Palmer,  receiving  good 
wages  and  spending  them  freely.  A  very  highly 
esteemed  clergyman  of  the  Church  of  England  named 
Wollaston,  had  written  a  book  entitled,  "  The  Reli 
gion  of  Nature  Delineated."  It  was  a  work  which 
obtained  much  celebrity  in  those  days  and  was  pub 
lished  by  Mr.  Palmer.  It  was  of  the  general  charac 
ter  of  Butler's  Analogy,  and  was  intended  to  prove 
that  the  morality  enjoined  by  Jesus  Christ,  was  found 
ed  in  the  very  nature  of  man  ;  and  that  the  principles 
of  that  morality  were  immutable,  even  though  deists 
should  succeed  in  destroying  the  public  faith  in  the 
divine  authority  of  Christianity.  It  was  eminently 
an  amiable  book,  written  with  great  charity  and 
candor,  and  without  any  dogmatic  assumptions. 

It  chanced  to  fall  to  Franklin  to  set  up  the  type. 


78      ^  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

As  was  customary  with  him,  he  made  himself  thor 
oughly  acquainted  with  the  treatise  of  which  he  thus 
became  the  compositor.  His  mind  was  in  such  a 
state  in  reference  to  the  claims  of  that  Christianity 
which  certainly  did  not  commend  the  mode  of  life 
he  was  living,  that  it  excited  not  only  antagonistic 
but  even  angry  emotions.  So  thoroughly  were  his 
feelings  aroused,  that  he  wrote  and  published  a 
pamphlet  of  thirty-two*  pages,  in  refutation  of  the 
theory  of  Mr.  Wollaston. 

Franklin  dedicated  his  work,  which  was  entitled 
"  A  dissertation  on  Liberty  and  Necessity,  Pleasure 
and  Pain,"  to  James  Ralph.  Fortunately,  the  trea 
tise  has  descended  to  us  upmutilated.  .  He  com 
mences  with  the  observation  : 

"  I  have  here  given  you  my  present  thoughts 
upon  the  general  state  of  things  in  the  universe." 

The  production  was  certainly  a  veiy  able  one  to 
come  from  the  pen  of  a  young  printer  of  but  nine 
teen  years.  Mr.  Palmer,  while  recognizing  its  ability, 
pronounced  its  principles  to  be  atrocious  and  demor 
alizing.  The  production  of  such  a  work,  literary, 
philosophical  and  religious,  by  probably  the  young 
est  companion  of  the  journeymen  printers,  caused 
them  all  to  open  their  eyes  with  astonishment,  and 
he  was  regarded  at  once  as  a  great  man  among  them.* 

*  In  this  extraordinary  document  our  young  deist  writes,  "  There 


MENTAL  AND   MORAL    CONFLICTS.  79 

The  deists  of  London,  who  had  united  in  a  club 
of  merry  free-thinkers,  holding  their  meetings  at  an 
ale-house,  sought  out  Franklin  and  drew  him  into 
their  convivial  gatherings.  These  men  had  no  com 
mon  principle  of  belief;  they  were  united  only  in 
the  negative  principle  of  unbelief  in  the  Christian 
religion.  Ralph  had  formed  a  connection  with  a 
young  milliner,  by  whom,  through  his  many  fascina 
tions,  he  was  mainly  supported. 

Franklin,  with  his  increasing  expenditures,  was 
now  disposed  to  shake  off  Ralph,  as  he  needed  all 
his  money  for  his  own  convivial  enjoyments.  Ralph 

is  said  to  be  a  first  mover,  who  is  called  God,  who  is  all  wise,  all 
good,  all  powerful.  If  he  is  all  good,  whatsoever  he  doeth  must  be 
good.  If  he'  is  all  wise,  whatever  he  doeth  must  be  wise.  That 
there  are  things  to  which  we  give  the  name  of  Evil,  is  not  to  be 
denied — such  as  theft,  murder,  etc.  But  these  are  not  in  reality 
evils.  To  suppose  anything  to  exist  or  to  be  done  contrary  to  the 
will  of  the  Almighty  is  to  suppose  him  not  Almighty.  There  is 
nothing  done  but  God  either  does  or  permits.  Though  a  creature 
may  do  many  actions,  which,  by  his  fellow  creatures,  will  be  named 
evil,  yet  he  can  not  act  what  will  be  in  itself  displeasing  to  God. 

"We  will  sum  up  the  argument  thus,  When  the  Creator  first 
designed  the  universe,  either  it  was  his  will  that  all  should  exist  and 
be  in  the  manner  they  are  at  this  time,  or  it  was  his  will  that  they 
should  be  otherwise.  To  say  it  was  His  will  things  should  be  other^ 
wise,  is  to  say  that  somewhat  hath  contradicted  His  will  ;  which  is 
impossible.  Therefore  we  must  allow  that  all  things  exist  now  in  a 
manner  agreeable  to  His  will  ;  and,  in  consequence  of  that,  all  are 
equally  good  and  therefore  equally  esteemed  by  Him.  No  condition 
of  life  or  being  is  better  or  preferable  to  another." 

This  whole  treatise  may  be  found  in  the  appendix  to  the  first 
volume  of  Parton's  Life  of  Franklin. 


80  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

went  into  the  country  and  opened  a  school,  where 
he  utterly  failed.  The  unhappy  milliner,  ruined  in 
character,  and  with  a  little  child,  wrote  to  Franklin 
imploring  aid.  Her  letters  touched  his  kindly  heart. 
He  could  never  see  sorrow  without  wishing  to 
relieve  it.  He  furnished  her  with  money,  in  small 
sums,  to  the  amount  of  one  hundred  and  thirty  dol 
lars  ;  and  worst  of  all,  we  regret  to  say  that  he  com 
menced  treating  her  with  such  familiarity,  that  she, 
still  faithful  to  Ralph,  repulsed  him  indignantly.* 

Franklin  does  not  conceal  these  foibles,  as  he 
regarded  them,  these  sins  as  Christianity  pronounces 
them.  He  declares  this  simply  to  have  been  another 
of  the  great  errors  of  his  youth.  She  informed 
Ralph  of  his  conduct.  He  was  enraged,  broke  off  all 
further  communication  with  Franklin,  and  thirty-five 
years  passed  away  before  they  met  again.  Ralph, 
goaded  to  desperation,  gained  a  wretched  living  in 
Various  literary  adventures ;  writing  for  any  body, 
on  any  side,  and  for  any  price.  Indeed  he  eventu- 

*  Franklin  writes  in  his  autobiography,  "  I  grew  fond  of  her  com 
pany,  and  being  at  that  time  under  no  religious  restraint,  and  taking 
advantage  of  my  importance  to  her,  I  attempted  to  take  some  liber 
ties  with  her,  another  erratum,  which  she  repulsed  with  a  proper 
degree  of  resentment.  She  wrote  to  Ralph  and  acquainted  him  with 
my  conduct.  This  occasioned  a  breach  between  us  ;  and  when 
he  returned  to  London,  he  let  me  know  he  considered  all  the 
obligations  he  had  been  under  to  me  as  annulled." — Works  of  Frank 
lin,  vol.  i,  p.  59. 


MENTAL  AND   MORAL  CONFLICTS.  8 1 

ally  gained  quite  an  ephemeral  reputation.  He 
could  express  himself  with  vivacity,  and  several 
quite  prominent  politicians  sought  the  aid  of  his 
pen. 

Franklin,  thus  relieved  from  the  support  of 
Ralph,  soon  after  entered  a  more  extensive  printing 
house,  at  Lincoln's  Inn  Fields.  Though  he  was 
exceedingly  fond  of  a  sparkling  glass  of  wine  in  his 
convivial  hours,  he  was  too  much  of  a  philosopher  to 
stupefy  his  brain  in  guzzling  beer.  His  habitual 
daily  beverage  was  cold  water. 

"  My  companion  at  the  press,"  he  wrote,  "  drank 
every  day  a  pint  before  breakfast,  a  pint  at  breakfast 
with  his  bread  and  cheese,  a  pint  between  breakfast 
and  dinner,  a  pint  at  dinner,  and  another  when  he 
had  done  his  day's  work.  I  thought  it  a  detestable 
custom.  But  it  was  necessary,  he  supposed,  to 
drink  strong  beer  that  he  might  be  strong  to  labor. 
I  endeavored  to  convince  him  that  the  bodily 
strength  afforded  by  beer  could  only  be  in  propor 
tion  to  the  grain  or  the  barley  dissolved  in  the 
water  of  which  it  was  made ;  that  there  was  more 
flour  in  a  pennyworth  of  bread,  and,  therefore,  if  he 
could  eat  that  with  a  pint  of  water,  it  would  give 
him  more  strength  than  a  quart  of  beer.  He  drank 
on,  however,  and  had  four  or  five  shillings  to  pay, 
out  of  his  wages,  every  Saturday  night,  for  that  vile 


82  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

liquor;  an  expense  I  was  free  from ;  and  thus  these 
poor  devils  keep  themselves  always  under." 

Again  Franklin  wrote  in  characteristic  phrase,  in 
reference  to  the  influence  of  his  example  over  some 
of  his  companions, 

"  From  my  example,  a  great  many  of  them  left 
their  muddling  breakfast  of  bread,  beer  and  cheese, 
rinding  they  could,  with  me,  be  supplied  from  a 
neighboring  house,  with  a  large  porringer  of  hot 
water  gruel,  sprinkled  with  pepper,  crumbled  with 
bread  and  a  bit  of  butter  in  it,  for  the  price  of  a 
pint  of  beer, — three  half-pence.  This  was  a  more 
comfortable,  as  well  as  a  cheaper  breakfast,  and  kept 
their  heads  clearer.  Those  who  continued  sotting 
with  their  beer  all  day,  were  often,  by  not  paying, 
out  of  credit  at  the  ale-house  ;  and  used  to  make 
interest  with  me  to  get  beer;  their  light  as  they 
phrased  it  being  out.  I  watched  the  pay  table  on 
Saturday  night,  and  collected  what  I  stood  engaged 
for  them,  having  to  pay  sometimes  on  their  account." 

Franklin's  skill  in'  swimming,  as  we  have  men 
tioned  was  very  remarkable.  At  one  time  he  swam 
from  London  to  Chelsea,  a  distance  of  four  miles. 
Several  of  his  companions  he  taught  to  swim  in 
two  lessons.  His  celebrity  was  such  that  he  was 
urged  to  open  a  swimming  school.*  The  life  of  self- 

*   "  On  one  of  these  days  I  was,  to  my  surprise,  sent  for  by  a 


MENTAL  AND   MORAL  CONFLICTS.  83 

indulgence,  he  was  now  living  in  London,  was  not 
such  as  even  his  loose  religious  principles  could 
approve.  He  had  abandoned  the  faith  of  his 
fathers,  and  had  adopted,  for  his  rule  of  conduct, 
the  principle,  that  it  was  right  to  yield  to  any  indul 
gences  to  which  his  passions  incited  him.  He 
became  tired  of  London,  and  probably  found  it 
necessary  to  break  away  from  the  influences  and 
associates  with  which  he  had  surrounded  himself. 

Mr.  Denham,  his  companion  of  voyage,  had 
decided  to  return  to  Philadephia,  and  open  an 
extensive  store.  He  offered  Franklin  two  hundred 
and  fifty  dollars  a  year  as  book-keeper.  Though 
this  was  less  than  the  sum  Franklin  was  then  earn 
ing,  as  compositor,  there  were  prospects  of  his 
advancement.  This  consideration,  in  addition  to 
his  desire  to  escape  from  London,  led  him  to  accept 
the  offer.  He  was  now  twenty  years  of  age.  It 

great  man  I  knew  only  by  name,  Sir  William  Wyndham.  He  had 
heard  of  my  swimming  from  Chelsea  to  Blackfriars  and  of  my  teaching 
Wygate  and  another  young  man  to  swim  in  a  few  hours.  He  had 
two  sons  about  to  set  out  on  their  travels.  He  wished  to  have  them 
first  taught  swimming,  and  proposed  to  gratify  me  handsomely  if  I 
would  teach  them.  They  were  not  yet  come  to  town,  and  my  stay 
was  uncertain,  so  I  could  not  undertake  it.  But  from  the  incident  I 
thought  it  likely  that  if  I  were  to  remain  in  England  and  opened  a 
swimming-school  I  might  get  a  good  deal  of  money.  And  it  struck 
me  so  strongly  that  had  the  overture  been  made  me  sooner,  probably 
I  should  not  so  soon  have  returned  to  America." — Autobiography, 
Vol.  i.  p.  66. 


84  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

does  not  appear  that  he  had  thus  far  formed  any 
deliberate  plan  for  his  life's  work.  He  floated  along 
as  the  current  of  events  drifted  him. 

On  the  twenty-first  of  July,  1726,  Franklin 
embarked  on  board  the  ship  Berkshire  for  Philadel 
phia.  He  had  been  absent  from  America  but  little 
more  than  a  year  and  a  half.  During  this  time  he 
had  not  increased  his  fortune,  for  he  had  spent  his 
money  as  fast  as  he  had  earned  it.  After  a  voyage 
of  eighty  days,  the  ship  cast  anchor  before  Philadel 
phia.  At  that  time  ships  were  often  from  three  to 
seven  months  effecting  the  passage  across  the 
Atlantic. 

As  usual  Franklin  kept  a  diary  punctually  during 
his  long  voyage.  Its  pages  were  replete  with  pithy 
remarks  of  wit  and  wisdom.  He  was  very  fond  of 
a  game  of  checkers,  and  in  that  amusement  beguiled 
many  weary  hours.  We  find  the  following  striking 
comments  upon  the  diversion  in  his  journal : 

"  It  is  a  game  I  much  delight  in.  But  it  requires 
a  clear  head  and  undisturbed.  The  persons  playing, 
if  they  would  play  well,  ought  not  much  to  regard 
the  consequences  of  the  game ;  for  that  diverts  and 
withdraws  the  mind  from  the  game  itself,  and  makes 
the  player  liable  to  make  many  false,  open  moves. 
I  will  venture  to  lay  it  down  for  an  infallible  rule 
that  if  two  persons  equal  in  judgment,  play  for  a 


MENTAL  AND   MORAL  CONFLICTS.  85 

considerable  sum,  he  that  loves  money  most,  shall 
lose.  His  anxiety  for  the  success  of  the  game  con 
founds  him.  Courage  is  almost  as  requisite  for  the 
good  conduct  of  this  game  as  in  a  real  battle  ;  for 
if  the  player  imagines  himself  opposed  by  one  that 
is  much  his  superior  in  skill,  his  mind  is  so  intent  on 
the  defensive  part,  that  an  advantage  passes  un 
observed." 

The  Governor  of  the  Isle  of  Wight  had  died, 
leaving  the  reputation  of  having  been  one  of  the 
most  consummate  scoundrels  who  ever  exercised 
despotic  power.  Franklin,  in  his  treatise  upon 
"  Liberty  and  Necessity,"  written  but  a  few  months 
before,  had  assumed  that  there  was  no  such  thing 
as  good  and  evil ;  that  God  ordered  and  controlled 
every  event ;  and  that  consequently  every  event 
was  in  accordance  with  His  will,  and  alike  pleasing 
in  His  sight.  But  now  we  find  the  following  record 
in  his  journal,  which  most  readers  will  recognize  as 
inconsistent  with  the  young  philosopher's  theologi 
cal  opinions.  He  writes : 

"At  the  death  of  this  governor,  it  appeared  that 
he  was  a  great  villain,  and  a  great  politician. 
There  was  no  crime  so  damnable,  which  he  would 
stick  at  in  the  execution  of  his  designs.  And  yet 
he  had  the  art  of  covering  all  so  thick,  that  with 
almost  all  men  in  general,  while  he  lived  he  passed 


86  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

for  a  saint.  In  short,  I  believe  it  is  impossible  for  a 
man,  though  he  has  all  the  cunning  of  a  devil,  to 
live  and  die  a  villain,  and  yet  conceal  it  so  well  as  to 
carry  the  name  of  an  honest  fellow  to  the  grave  with 
him,  but  some  one  by  some  accident  or  other,  shall 
discover  him.  Truth  and  sincerity  have  a  certain 
distinguishing,  native  lustre  about  them,  which  can 
not  be  perfectly  counterfeited.  They  are  like  fire 
and  flame  that  cannot  be  painted." 

We  should  infer,  from  some  intimations  in  Frank 
lin's  diary,  that  he  was  troubled  by  some  qualms  of 
conscience,  in  view  of  his  abandonment  of  Miss 
Read,  and  his  irregular  life  in  London.  He  has  left 
a  paper  in  which  he  stated  that  he  had  never  formed 
any  regular  plan  for  the  control  of  his  conduct : 
that  he  was  now  about  to  enter  on  a  new  life  ;  and 
that  he  was  resolved  that  henceforth  he  would  speak 
the  truth,  be  industrious  in  his  business,  and  speak 
ill  of  no  man.  These  were  rather  meagre  resolutions 
for  a  young  man  under  these  circumstances  to  adopt. 

Soon  after  landing  at  Philadelphia,  Franklin 
chanced  to  meet  Sir  William  Keith  in  the  streets. 
The  governor  seemed  much  embarrassed,  and  passed 
by  without  speaking.  It  does  not  appear  that  the 
acquaintance  was  ever  resumed.  The  governor 
lived  nearly  twenty-five  years  afterward,  a  dishonored 
and  ruined  man,  and  died  in  the  extreme  of  poverty. 


MENTAL  AND   MORAL  CONFLICTS.  87 

Poor  Miss  Read,  heart-broken,  and  deeming  her 
self  forever  abandoned,  yielded  to  the  importunities 
of  her  friends  and  married  a  mechanic  by  the  name 
of  Rogers.  He  proved  to  be  a  thoroughly  worthless 
fellow.  His  unconcealed  profligacy,  and  unfaithful 
ness  to  his  wife,  compelled  her,  after  a  few  months 
of  wretchedness,  to  return  to  her  mother,  and  to 
resume  her  maiden  name.  The  profligate  husband 
fled  from  his  creditors  to  the  West  Indies.  Rumors 
soon  reached  Philadelphia  of  his  death,  leaving  prob 
ably  another  wife. 

Franklin  entered  upon  his  duties  as  clerk  of  Mr. 
Denham,  with  his  accustomed  energy  and  skill. 
He  carried  into  his  new  vocation,  all  his  intellectual 
sagacity,  and  speedily  won  not  only  the  confidence 
but  the  affection  of  his  employer.  He  lived  with 
Mr.  Denham,  and  being  always  disposed  to  look 
upon  the  bright  side  of  everything,  even  of  his  own 
imperfections,  notwithstanding  his  infidelity  to  Miss 
Read,  he  seems  to  have  been  a  very  happy  and  even 
jovial  young  man. 

Four  months  after  Franklin  had  entered  upon 
his  mercantile  career,  both  Mr.  Denham  and  Frank 
lin  were  seized  with  the  pleurisy.  Mr.  Denham 
died.  Franklin,  though  brought  near  to  the  grave, 
recovered.  He  writes : 

"  I  suffered  a  great  deal ;  gave  up  the  point  in 


88  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

my  own  mind  ;  and  was  at  the  time  rather  disap 
pointed  when  I  found  myself  recovering  ;  regretting 
in  some  degree  that  I  must  now,  sometime  or  other, 
have  all  that  disagreeable  work  to  do  over  again." 

The  death  of  Mr.  Denham  broke  up  the  estab 
lishment,  and  Franklin  was  thrown  out  of  employ 
ment.  Keimer,  in  whose  service  he  had  formerly 
been  engaged,  again  made  him  an  offer  to  superin 
tend  a  printing  office.  Franklin  accepted  the  propo 
sition.  There  were  five  inefficient  hands,  whom 
Franklin  was  expected  to  transform  into  accom 
plished  printers.  With  these,  and  a  few  others,  he 
organized  a  literary  club,  called  the  "  Junto  ;  or  the 
Leathern  Apron  Club,"  as  nearly  every  member  was 
a  mechanic. 

The  club  met  every  Friday  evening,  and  the  wine 
cup,  to  stimulate  conviviality,  passed  freely  among 
them.  There  were  twenty-four  questions,  which 
were  every  evening  read,  to  which  answers  were  to 
be  returned  by  any  one  who  could  answer  them. 
Between  each  question,  it  was  expected  that  each 
member  would  fill,  and  empty,  his  glass.  One  would 
think  that  the  wine  must  have  been  very  weak,  or 
the  heads  of  these  young  men  very  strong,  to  ena 
ble  them  to  quaff  twenty-four  glasses  unharmed. 
We  give  a  few  of  the  questions  as  specimens  of  their 
general  character. 


MENTAL  AND   MORAL  CONFLICTS  89 

I.  "  Have  you  met  with  anything  in  the  author 
you  last  read  ? 

3.  "  Has  any  citizen  in  your  knowledge  failed, 
and  have  you  heard  the  cause  ? 

7.  "  What  unhappy  effects  of  intemperance  have 
you  lately  observed  ? 

12.  "  Has  any  deserving  stranger  arrived  in  town 
since  your  last  meeting  ? 

1 6.  "  Has  anybody  attacked  your  reputation 
lately  ? 

23.  "  Is  there  any  difficulty  which  you  would 
gladly  have  discussed  at  this  time  ?  " 

Debates,  declamation,  and  the  reading  of  essays 
added  to  the  entertainment  of  these  gatherings. 
Stories  were  told,  and  bacchanal  songs  sung.  No 
man  could  tell  a  better  story,  and  few  men  could 
sing  a  better  song  than  Benjamin  Franklin.  No 
one  was  deemed  a  suitable  member  of  the  club,  who 
would  not  contribute  his  full  quota  to  the  entertain 
ment  or  instruction.  The  questions  proposed  by 
Franklin  for  discussion,  developed  the  elevated  intel 
lectual  region  his  thoughts  were  accustomed  to 
range.  We  give  a  few  as  specimens. 

"  Can  any  one  particular  form  of  government 
suit  all  mankind  ? 

"Should  it  be  the  aim  of  philosophy  to  eradicate 
the  passions  ? 


QO  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

"  Is  perfection  attainable  in  this  life  ? 

"  What  general  conduct  of  life  is  most  suitable 
for  men  in  such  circumstances  as  most  of  the  mem 
bers  of  the  Junto  are  ?  " 

The  Junto  was  limited  to  twelve  members.  It 
soon  became  so  popular  that  applications  for  admis 
sion  became  very  frequent.  Six  months  passed 
rapidly  away,  when  Keimer,  who  was  an  exceedingly 
immoral  and  worthless  man,  and  was  fast  going  to 
ruin,  in  some  fit  of  drunkenness,  or  ungovernable 
irritation,  entered  the  office,  and  assailed  Franklin 
with  such  abuse,  that  he  took  his  hat,  and  repaired 
to  his  lodgings,  resolved  never  to  return. 

Franklin  was  twenty-one  years  of  age.  He  had 
laid  up  no  money.  He  was  still  but  a  journeyman 
printer.  The  draft  which  he  had  received  from  Mr. 
Vernon  for  fifty  dollars  had  not  yet  been  paid.  He 
was  exceedingly  mortified  when  he  allowed  himself 
to  reflect  upon  this  delinquency  which  certainly  ap 
proached  dishonesty.  In  this  emergence  he  conferred 
with  a  fellow  journeyman  by  the  name  of  Hugh 
Meredith,  whose  father  was  a  gentleman  of  consider 
able  property.  Meredith  proposed  that  they  should 
enter  into  partnership,  he  furnishing  the  funds,  and 
Franklin  the  business  capacity. 

At  that  time  Franklin,  remembering  his  narrow 
escape  from  the  grave  by  the  pleurisy,  wrote  his  own 


•MENTAL  AND   MORAL  CONFLICTS.  9! 

epitaph  which  has  been  greatly  celebrated.  It  has 
generally  been  admired  ;  but  some  of  more  sensitive 
minds  perceive  in  it  a  tone  which  is  somewhat 
repulsive. 

"  The  Body 

of 
BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN, 

Printer, 
(Like  the  cover  of  an  old  book, 

Its  contents  torn  out, 
And  stripped  of  its  lettering  and  gilding,) 

Lies  here,  food  for  worms. 

Yet  the  work  itself  shall  not  be  lost, 

For  it  will,  as  he  believed,  appear  once  more, 

In  a  new 

And  more  beautiful  edition, 
Corrected  and  amended 

By 
THE  AUTHOR." 

The  excellencies  of  Franklin  did  not  run  in  the 
line  of  exquisite  sensibilities.  At  the  early  age  of 
fifteen  he  began  to  cast  off  the  restraints  of  the  reli 
gion  of  his  father  and  mother.  Nearly  all  his  asso 
ciates  were  what  were  called  Free-thinkers.  He 
could  not  be  blind  to  their  moral  imperfections. 
Mr.  Parton  writes, 

"  His  old  friend  Collins,  he  remembered,  was  a 
Free-thinker,  and  Collins  had  gone  astray.  Ralph 
was  a  Free-thinker,  and  Ralph  was  a  great  sinner. 
Keith  was  a  Free-thinker,  and  Keith  was  the  great- 


Q2  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

est  liar  in  Pennsylvania.  Benjamin  Franklin  was 
a  Free-thinker,  and  how  shamefully  he  had  behaved 
to  Ralph's  mistress,  to  Mr.  Vernon  and  Miss  Read, 
whose  young  life  had  been  blighted  through  him."  * 
Franklin's  creed  thus  far,  consisted  only  of  nega 
tions.  He  had  no  belief;  he  had  only  unbelief. 
Indeed  he  seems  to  have  become  quite  ashamed  of 
his  treatise  upon  Liberty  and  Necessity,  published 
in  London,  and  felt  constrained  to  write  a  refuta 
tion  of  it.f  As  this  strange  young  man  in  his  dis- 

*  Parton's  Life  of  Franklin,  Vol  I,  p.  168. 

f  "  My  arguments  perverted  some  others,  especially  Collins  and 
Ralph.  But  each  of  these  having  wronged  me  greatly  without  the  least 
compunction  ;  and  recollecting  Keith's  conduct  towards  me,  who  was 
another  Free-thinker,  and  my  own  towards  Vernon  and  Miss  Read, 
which  at  times  gave  me  great  trouble,  I  began  to  suspect  that  this 
doctrine,  though  it  might  be  true,  was  not  very  useful.  My  London 
pamphlet,  printed  in  1725,  and  which  had  for  its  motto, 

"  Whatever  is  is  right," 

and  which  from  the  attributes  of  God,  His  infinite  wisdom,  goodness  and 
power,  concluded  that  nothing  could  possibly  be  wrong  in  the  world, 
and  that  vice  and  virtue  were  empty  distinctions,  no  such  things  ex 
isting,  appeared  now  not  so  clever  a  performance,  as  I  once  thought 
it ;  and  I  doubted  whether  some  error  had  not  insinuated  itself  unper- 
ceived  into  my  argument." 

In  the  year  1779,  Dr.  Franklin  wrote  to  Dr.  Benjamin  Vaughn 
respecting  this  pamphlet. 

"  There  were  only  one  hundred  copies  printed,  of  which  I  gave  a 
few  to  friends.  Afterwards,  disliking  the  piece,  I  burnt  the  rest,  except 
one  copy.  I  was  not  nineteen  years  of  age  when  it  was  written.  In 
1730,  I  wrote  a  piece  on  the  other  side  of  the  question,  which  began 
with  laying  for  its  foundation  that  almost  all  men,  in  all  ages  and 
countries,  have  at  times  made  use  of  prayer. 

"  Thence  I  reasoned  that  if  all  things  are  ordained,  prayer  must  be 


MENTAL  AND   MORAL  CONFLICTS.  93 

content  looked  over  the  religions  of  the  world,  he 
could  find  no  one  that  met  his  views.  He  therefore 
deliberately  and  thoughtfully  sat  down  to  form  a 
religion  of  his  own.  Many  such  persons  have  ap 
peared  in  the  lapse  of  the  ages,  and  almost  invari 
ably  they  have  announced  their  creeds  with  the 
words,  "  Thus  saith  the  Lord."  But  our  young 
printer  of  twenty-two  years,  made  no  profession 
whatever,  of  any  divine  aid.  He  simply  said,  "  Thus 
saith  my  thoughts."  One  would  think  he  could 
not  have  much  confidence  in  those  thoughts,  when 
it  is  remembered  that  at  this  time  he  was  writing  a 
refutation  of  the  opinions,  which  he  had  published 
in  London  but  a  few  months  before. 

The  book  which  Franklin  thus  prepared  was 
entiled  "Articles  of  Belief,  and  Acts  of  Religion/' 
His  simple  creed  was  that  there  was  one  Supreme 
God  who  had  created  many  minor  gods ;  that  the 
supreme  God  was  so  great  that  he  did  not  desire 
the  worship  of  man  but  was  far  above  it. 

The  minor  gods  are  perhaps  immortal,  and  per- 

among  the  rest  ordained  ;  but  as  prayer  can  procure  no  change  in 
things  that  are  ordained,  praying  must  then  be  useless  and  an  absurd 
ity.  God  would,  therefore,  not  ordain  praying  if  everything  else  was 
ordained.  But  praying  exists,  therefore  all  other  things  are  not  or 
dained.  This  manuscript  was  never  printed.  The  great  uncertainty 
I  found  in  metaphysical  reasoning  disgusted  me,  and  I  quitted  that 
kind  of  reading  and  study  for  others  more  satisfactory." — Autobiog 
raphy,  p.  76. 


94  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

haps  after  the  ages  lapse  they  are  changed,  others  sup 
plying  their  place.     Each  of  these  subordinate  gods  ' 
has  created  for  himself  a  sun  with  its  planetary  sys 
tem,  over  which  he  presides  and  from  the  inhabi 
tants  of  which  he  expects  adoration.     He  writes, 

"  It  is  that  particular  wise  and  good  God,  who 
is  the  author  and  owner  of  our  system  that  I  pro 
pose  for  the  object  of  my  praise  and  adoration.  It 
is  to  be  inferred  that  this  God  is  not  above  caring 
for  us,  is  pleased  with  our  praise,  and  offended  when 
we  slight  him." 

He  then  prepares  an  invocation  to  this  god  of 
our  solar  system.  It  is  founded  on  the  style  of  the 
Psalms,  but  is  immeasurably  inferior  to  most  of 
those  sublime  utterances  of  the  Psalmist  of  Israel. 
And  still  the  sentiments  breathed  were  ennobling 
in  their  character ;  they  proved  that  Franklin  was 
vastly  superior  to  the  thoughtless,  reckless  deists 
who  surrounded  him,  and  that  his  soul  was  reaching 
forth  and  yearning  for  higher  and  holier  attain 
ments.  In  this  invocation,  the  whole  of  which 
we  cannot  quote,  he  writes, 

"  O  Creator !  O  Father !  I  believe  that  thou  art 
good ;  and  that  thou  art  pleased  with  the  pleasure 
of  thy  children.  Praised  be  thy  name  forever.  By 
thy  power  thou  hast  made  the  glorious  sun  with  his 
attending  worlds.  By  thy  wisdom  thou  hast  formed 


MENTAL  AND   MORAL  CONFLICTS.  95 

all  things.  Thy  wisdom,  thy  power,  and  thy  good 
ness  are  everywhere  clearly  seen.  Thou  abhorrest 
in  thy  creatures  treachery  and  deceit,  malice, 
revenge,  intemperance,  and  every  other  hurtful  vice. 
But  thou  art  a  lover  of  justice  and  sincerity,  of 
friendship  and  benevolence,  and  every  virtue. 
Thou  art  my  friend,  my  father,  and  my  benefactor. 
Praised  be  thy  name  ;  O  God,  forever.  Amen." 

The  prayer  which  followed,  doubtless  giving 
utterance  to  his  most  inward  feelings,  is  beautiful. 

"  Inasmuch,"  he  wrote,  "  as  by  reason  of  our 
ignorance,  we  cannot  be  certain  that  many  things, 
which  we  often  hear  mentioned  in  the  petitions  of 
men  to  the  Deity,  would  prove  real  goods  if  they 
were  in  our  possession,  and  as  I  have  reason  to 
hope  and  believe  that  the  goodness  of  my  Heavenly 
Father  will  not  withhold  from  me  a  suitable  share  of 
temporal  blessings,  if  by  a  virtuous  and  holy  life  I 
conciliate  his  favor  and  kindness ;  therefore  I  pre 
sume  not  to  ask  such  things  ;  but  rather  humbly 
and  with  a  sincere  heart,  express  my  earnest  desire 
that  he  would  graciously  assist*  my  continual  en 
deavors  and  resolutions  of  eschewing  vice  and  em 
bracing  virtue,  which  kind  of  supplication  will  at 
the  same  time  remind  me  in  a  solemn  manner  of  my 
extensive  duty." 

He  then  added  the  supplication  that  he  might 


96  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

be  preserved  from  atheism,  impiety  and  profaneness ; 
that  he  might  be  loyal  to  his  prince ;  that  he  might 
be  gracious  to  those  below  him ;  that  he  might 
refrain  from  calumny  and  detraction ;  that  he  might 
be  sincere  in  friendship,  just  in  his  dealings,  grateful 
to  his  benefactors,  patient  in  affliction ;  that  he 
might  have  tenderness  for  the  weak,  and  that,  re 
joicing  in  the  good  of  others,  he  might  become 
truly  virtuous  and  magnanimous. 

It  is  very  evident  that  some  unexplained  circum 
stances  had  called  the  attention  of  Franklin  very 
earnestly  to  the  subject  of  religion.  He  wrote  very 
much  upon  that  theme,  and  published  a  new  version 
of  the  Lord's  Prayer,  and  a  lecture  upon  Providence 
and  Predestination.  He,  however,  admits  that  he 
very  seldom  attended  any  public  worship,  adding, 

"  I  had  still  an  opinion  of  its  propriety  and  its 
utility,  when  rightly  conducted ;  and  I  regularly 
paid  my  annual  subscription  for  the  support  of  the 
only  Presbyterian  minister." 

Rumors  soon  reached  Franklin's  good  father  of 
Boston,  of  his  son's  free-thinking,  and  he  wrote  to 
his  son  in  much  alarm.  -In  Franklin's  reply,  he 
said, 

"  All  that  should  be  expected  from  me,  is  to  keep 
my  mind  open  to  conviction  ;  to  hear  patiently  and 
examine  attentively  whatever  is  offered  me  for  that 


MENTAL  AND   MORAL  CONFLICTS.  97 

end.  And  if  after  all  I  continue  in  the  same  errors, 
I.  believe  your  usual  charity  will  induce  you  rather 
to  pity  and  excuse,  than  to  blame  me.  In  the 
meantime,  your  care  and  concern  for  me,  is  what  I 
am  very  thankful  for.  My  mother  grieves  that  one 
of  her  sons  is  an  Arian,  and  another  an  Arminian. 
What  an  Arminian  or  an  Arian  is,  I  cannot  say  that 
I  very  well  know.  The  truth  is,  I  make  such  dis 
tinctions  very  little  my  study.  I  think  vital  religion 
has  always  suffered  when  orthodoxy  is  more  regarded 
than  virtue.  And  the  Scriptures  assure  me  that  at 
the  last  day  we  shall  not  be  examined  what  we 
thought  but  what  we  did." 

Franklin,  having  no  revealed  religion  to  guide 
him,  and  having  no  foundation  for  his  faith,  but  the 
ever-changing  vagaries  of  his  own  fantastic  imagina 
tion,  could  have  no  belief  to-day,  of  which  he  had 
any  certainty  that  he  would  hold  the  same  to-mor 
row.  He  was  continually  abandoning  one  after 
another  of  the  articles  of  his  fantastical  creed,  and 
adopting  others  in  their  place.  At  length  he  settled 
down  upon  the  following  simple  belief,  which  with 
very  considerable  tenacity,  but  without  any  attempt 
to  promulgate  it,  he  adhered  to  for  many  years.  It 
consisted  of  the  six  following  articles  which  we  give 
in  briefest  language. 

i.  "There  is  one  God. 
5 


98  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

2.  "  He  governs  the  world. 

3.  "  He  ought  to  be  worshipped. 

4.  "  Doing  good  is  the  service  most  acceptable 
to  him. 

5.  "  Man'is  immortal. 

6.  "  In  the  future  world  the  souls  of  men  will  be 
dealt  with  justly." 

It  is  very  evident  that  Franklin  had  no  great 
confidence  in  his  theological  opinions.  He  studi 
ously  avoided  all  writing  upon  the  subject,  and  as 
far  as  possible  all  conversation.  Still,  with  his  keen 
sense  of  humor,  he  could  not  refrain  from  occasion 
ally  plunging  a  pretty  sharp  dagger's  thrust  into  the 
palpable  imperfections  of  the  various  and  contend 
ing  sects. 

There  was  very  little  moral  power,  in  the  creed  he 
professed,  to  arrest  young  men,  of  glowing  passions, 
and  exposed  to  the  most  difficult  temptations,  in 
their  downward  career.  No  voice  of  Franklin  was 
heard  with  potency  calling  upon  those  who  were 
thronging  the  broad  road.  In  a  lecture  upon  Provi 
dence,  to  his  companions  of  the  Junto,  which  was 
subsequently  published,  and  which  reflects  some 
considerable  honor  upon  the  earnestness  of  his 
thoughts,  he  wrote, 

"  I  am  especially  discouraged  when  I  reflect  that 
you  are  all  my  intimate  pot-companions,  who  have 


MENTAL  AND  MORAL  CONFLICTS.       99 

heard  me  say  a  thousand  silly  things  in  conversation, 
and  therefore  have  not  that  laudable  partiality  and 
veneration  for  whatever  I  shall  deliver  that  good 
people  have  for  their  spiritual  guides  ;  that  you  have 
no  reverence  for  my  habit,  nor  for  the  sanctity  of 
my  countenance  ;  that  you  do  not  believe  me  in 
spired,  nor  divinely  assisted ;  and  therefore  will 
think  yourself  at  liberty  to  assert,  or  dissert,  approve 
or  disapprove  of  anything  I  advance,  canvassing  and 
sifting  it  as  the  private  opinion  of  one  of  your 
acquaintance." 

Though  it  was  Franklin's  assumption  that  his  re 
ligion  was  one  of  works  and  not  of  faith,  still  it  must 
be  admitted  that  his  life  was  very  inconsistent  with 
those  principles  of  purity,'  moral  loveliness  and 
good  report  which  the  Gospel  enjoins.  With  his 
remarkable  honesty  of  mind,  in  strains  which  we  are 
constrained,  though  with  regret  to  record,  he  writes, 

"  That  hard-to-be  governed  passion  of  youth  had 
hurried  me  frequently  into  intrigues  with  low  women 
that  fell  in  my  way,  which  were  attended  with  some 
expense  and  great  inconvenience,  besides  a  contin 
ual  risk  to  my  health  by  distemper,  which  of  all 
things  I  dreaded,  though  by  great  luck  I  escaped  it." 

Mr.  Parton  writes,  "  It  was  perhaps  owing  to  his 
frequent  delinquencies  in  this  way,  that  his  liturgy 
contains  no  allusion  to  a  vice,  which  is  of  all  others 


IOO  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

the  most  alluring  to  a  youth  of  Franklin's  tempera 
ment.  He  was  too  sincere  and  logical  a  man  to  go 
before  his  God  and  ask  assistance  against  a  fault 
which  he  had  not  fully  resolved  to  overcome,  and 
that  immediately.  About  a  year  after  the  date  of 
his  liturgy  was  born  his  illegitimate  son  William 
Franklin,  who  became  Governor  of  New  Jersey.  If 
laws  were  as  easily  executed  as  enacted,  Benjamin 
Franklin  would  have  received,  upon  this  occasion, 
twenty-one  lashings  at  the  public  whipping-post  of 
Philadelphia." 


CHAPTER  V. 

The  Dawn  of  Prosperity. 

Franklin  takes  a  house — His  first  job — His  industry — Plans  a 
Newspaper — Enters  the  list  as  a  writer — Advocates  a  Paper 
currency — Purchases  Keimer's  paper — Character  of  Meredith — 
Struggles  of  the  firm — Unexpected  assistance — Dissolves  part 
nership  with  Meredith — Franklin's  energetic  conduct — His 
courtship,  and  marriage — Character  of  Mrs.  Franklin — Increase 
of  luxury — Plans  for  a  library — Prosperity  of  Pennsylvania — 
Customs  in  Philadelphia — Style  of  dress  in  1726 — Franklin's 
social  position  in  Philadelphia — His  success — A  hard  student. 

FRANKLIN  had  now  reached  the  end  of  life  as 
an  apprentice  and  a  journeyman.  With  his  friend 
Meredith  he  hired  a  house  in  the  lower  part  of 
Market  street,  at  the  rent  of  about  one  hundred 
and  twenty  dollars  a  year.  A  large  portion  of  this 
house  he  prudently  re-let  to  another  mechanic  who 
was  a  member  of  the  Junto.  It  would  seem  that 
Meredith  was  disappointed  in  the  amount  of  money 
he  expected  to  raise.  Consequently  after  utterly 
exhausting  their  stock  of  cash,  they  still  found  it  ne 
cessary  to  run  deeply  into  debt  for  those  appurte 
nances  of  a  printing  office  which  were  absolutely 
necessary. 


IO2  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

Just  as  they  got  ready  for  work,  quite  to  their 
delight,  a  countryman  came  in  introduced  by  one 
of  the  Junto,  George  House,  who  wanted  a  five  shil 
ling  job  executed. 

"  This  man's  five  shillings,"  writes  Franklin, 
"  being  our  first  fruits,  and  coming  so  seasonably, 
gave  me  more  pleasure  than  any  crown  I  have  since 
earned.  And  from  the  gratitude  I  felt  toward 
House,  has  made  me  often  more  ready,  than  per 
haps  I  otherwise  should  have  been,  to  assist  young 
beginners." 

The  two  young  men  devoted  themselves  to  their 
work,  with  assiduity  which  was  a  sure  precursor  of 
success.  Often  Franklin  was  found  diligently  em 
ployed  until  eleven  o'clock  at  night.  His  industry 
and  energy  soon  attracted  attention.  A  gentleman 
living  near  the  office  said  to  some  of  his  friends  : 

"  The  industry  of  that  Franklin  is  superior  to 
anything  I  ever  saw  of  the  kind.  I  see  him  still  at 
work  when  I  go  home  from  the  club,  and  he  is 
at  work  again  before  his  neighbors  are  out  of 
bed." 

This  statement  produced  such  an  impression 
upon  a  merchant  who  was  present,  that  he  called 
upon  the  young  men  and  offered  to  supply  them  with 
stationery  on  credit.  Franklin's  literary  taste,  and 
his  remarkable  success  as  a  writer,  led  him  ever  to 


THE   DAWN   OF   PROSPERITY.  103 

cherish,  as  a  darling  project,  the  idea  of  the  estab 
lishing  of  a  newspaper.  In  a  few  months  he  had 
quite  deliberately  formed  his  plan  ;  but  in  some  way 
Keimer  got  wind  of  it,  and  immediately  issued  a 
prospectus  for  the  establishment  of  a  paper  of  his 
own.  Though  he  was  totally  unqualified  for  the 
task  of  editorship,  yet  his  project  was  quite  hurtful 
to  the  plans  of  Franklin. 

Very  much  annoyed  by  the  treachery  which  had 
revealed  his  plans  to  Keimer,  and  perceiving  that 
his  paper  was  unpopular  and  heavy,  Franklin  very 
wisely  decided  to  establish  his  own  reputation  as  a 
vivacious  writer,  before  entering  upon  the  important 
undertaking  of  issuing  a  journal  in  his  own  name. 
There  was  a  small  paper  then  published  in  the  city 
called  "The  Mercury."  He  commenced  writing  a 
series  of  very  witty  and  satirical  articles  over  the 
signature  of  "  Busy  Body."  The  first  number  con 
tained  the  following  sentences  as  intimations  of  what 
was  to  come. 

"  It  is  probable  that  I  may  displease  a  great  num 
ber  of  your  readers  who  will  not  very  well  like  to 
pay  ten  shillings  a  year  for  being  told  of  their  faults, 
but  as  most  people  delight  in  censure  when  they 
themselves  are  not  the  object  of  it,  if  any  are  offended 
at  my  publicly  exposing  their  private  vices,  I  prom 
ise  they  shall  have  the  satisfaction  in  a  very  little 


IO4  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

time,  in  seeing  their  good  friends  and  neighbors  in 
the  same  circumstances." 

These  sparkling  contributions  of  Franklin  at 
tracted  much  attention,  and  created  for  him  a  grow 
ing  literary  reputation.  The  subject  of  paper  money 
which  agitated  our  country,  was  then  being  discussed 
in  Pennsylvania  with  intense  interest.  Franklin 
wrote  a  carefully  studied  pamphlet  entitled  "  A 
Modest  Inquiry  into  the  Nature  and  Necessity  of  a 
Paper  Currency." 

This  treatise,  written  by  a  young  printer  of  but 
twenty-three  years,  upon  one  of  the  most  difficult 
questions  of  finance,  displayed  great  ability.  Warmly 
he  advocated  a  paper  currency.  His  arguments, 
however,  were  such  as  would  not  now  proba 
bly  exert  much  influence  upon  the  public  mind. 
The  main  proposition  he  endeavored  to  sustain 
was,  that  there  was  not  a  sufficiency  of  gold  and 
silver  in  Pennsylvania,  for  carrying  on  the  trade  of 
the  province.  He  therefore  argued  that  all  branches 
of  industry  must  languish  unless  the  currency  were 
increased  by  an  issue  of  paper.* 

It  has  been  suggested  that  Franklin  might  have 
been  unconsciously  influenced  in  his  views,  by  the 
fact  that  he  had  been  very  successful  in  printing 

*  This  pamphlet  may  be  found  in  Sparks'  "  Works  of  Franklin," 
vol.  ii,  p.  253. 


THE   DAWN   OF  PROSPERITY.  1 05 

paper  money,  and  that  he  anticipated  still  more 
employment  in  that  line.  It  is  certain  that  Frank 
lin's  pamphlet  exerted  a  powerful  influence  at  the 
time,  and  a  new  issue  of  paper  currency  was  ordered. 
Franklin  thought  that  the  effect  was  highly  condu 
cive  to  the  prosperity  of  the  province,  and  he  never 
swerved  from  the  views  which  he  had  so  earnestly 
and  successfully  urged  in  his  pamphlet. 

Franklin's  sun  was  rapidly  rising.  Keimer's  was 
as  rapidly  sinking.  After  publishing  thirty-nine 
numbers  of  the  "  Universal  Instructor "  and  the 
subscription  list  having  dwindled  to  ninety,  he  glad 
ly  sold  the  paper  for  a  trifle  to  Franklin  and  Mere 
dith.  The  genius  of  Franklin  was  immediately 
displayed  in  the  improved  literary  character  of  the 
paper,  and  in  its  mechanical  execution.  The  name 
was  changed  to  the  "  Pennsylvania  Gazette."  The 
first  number  issued  by  him  was  on  Oct.  2,  1/29. 

The  subject  of  religion  was  almost  entirely 
ignored.  Franklin  seems  to  have  become  weary  of 
the  darkness  and  the  fogs  through  which  his  unillu- 
mined  mind  had  been  so  long  painfully  floundering, 
without  coming  to  any  results  upon  which  he  could 
place  reliance.  Christianity  he  generally  treated 
with  respect,  though  he  could  not  refrain  from 
occasionally  giving  a  sly  thrust  at  those  imperfec 
tions  of  Christians  which  were  so  palpable  to  his 


106  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

observant  mind.  And  though  he  never  assailed 
that  which  was  not  inherently  bad,  it  cannot  be 
denied  that  occasionally  his  keen  sarcasms  brought 
Christianity  itself  into  reproach,  as  if  it  were  a  re 
ligion  which  produced  no  better  fruits,  perhaps  not 
so  good,  as  no  religion  at  all. 

The  business  of  this  young  firm  of  Franklin  and 
Meredith,  viewed  in  the  light  of  the  grand  printing 
enterprises  of  the  present  day,  was  indeed  trivial. 
The  two  young  men  did  all  the  work  themselves 
without  even  a  boy  to  help  them.  In  fact  Mere 
dith,  who  at  the  best  was  a  poor  workman,  and  who 
fell  into  intemperate  habits,  neglected  his  business, 
frequented  the  ale-houses,  and  left  all  responsibility 
resting  upon  the  efficient  shoulders  of  his  partner. 

Franklin,  who  endeavored  to  be  perfect  in  every 
thing  he  undertook,  printed  his  paper  so  admirably 
that  it  is  said  that  there  is  probably  not  a  journal 
now  in  Philadelphia  which  is  issued  in  better  style 
than  "  The  Pennsylvania  Gazette  "  of  1/29. 

For  seven  years  Franklin  had  been  embarrassed 
by  the  thought  of  the  fifty  dollars  which  he  had 
received  from  Mr.  Vernon,  and  which  had  not  yet 
been  repaid.  Mr..  Vernon  wrote  him  a  very  gentle 
intimation,  stating  that  it  would  be  very  conveni 
ent  for  him  to  receive  the  money.  Franklin  re 
turned  a  contrite  and  magnanimous  letter.  He 


THE  DAWN   OF  PROSPERITY.  IO/ 

made  no  attempt  to  extenuate  his  fault,  promised 
immediately  to  strain  every  nerve  to  meet  the  debt, 
and  in  a  few  months  paid  the  whole,  principal  and 
interest. 

Still  the  infant  firm  was  struggling  with  adversity. 
The  partners  had  commenced  operations  with  scarce 
ly  any  capital  excepting  promises.  Their  outfit  cost 
about  a  thousand  dollars.  Mr.  Meredith  had  been 
unfortunate  in  business,  and  found  himself  unable  to 
pay  the  second  instalment  promised  of  five  hundred 
dollars.  The  stationers  who  furrfished  paper  began 
to  be  uneasy,  for  they  could  not  but  see  that  Mere 
dith  was  fast  going  to  ruin. 

Franklin  was  seldom  in  the  habit  of  dwelling 
upon  his  misfortunes.  In  these  dark  hours  he  wrote, 

"  In  this  distress  two  true  friends  whose  kindness 
I  have  never  forgotten,  nor  ever  shall  forget  while  I 
can  remember  anything,  came  to  me  separately,  un 
known  to  each  other,  and  without  any  application 
from  me,  offered  each  of  them  to  advance  me  all  the 
money  that  should  be  necessary  to  take  the  whole 
business  upon  myself;  but  they  did  not  like  my 
continuing  in  partnership  with  Meredith,  who,  as 
they  said,  was  often  seen  drunk  in  the  street,  playing 
at  low  games  in  ale-houses,  much  to  our  discredit." 

Franklin  generously  was  very  reluctant  to  throw 
aside  Meredith.  Dissolute  as  the  young  man  had 


108  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

become,  he  could  not  forget  that  he  was  the  son  of  a 
man  who  had  been  his  friend  ;  but  after  carefully 
pondering  the  question  and  seeing  ruin  stare  him  in 
the  face,  he  said  one  day  to  Meredith, 

"  Perhaps  your  father  is  dissatisfied  at  the  part 
you  have  undertaken  in  this  affair  of  ours  ;  and  is 
unwilling  to  advance  for  you  and  me,  what  he  would 
for  you.  If  that  is  the  case  tell  me,  and  I  will  resign 
the  whole  to  you  and  go  about  my  business." 

Meredith  replied, 

"  My  father  has  really  been  disappointed,  and  is 
really  unable.  I  am  unwilling  to  distress  him  fur 
ther.  I  see  this  is-  a  business  I  am  unfit  for.  I  was 
bred  a  farmer  and  it  was  folly  in  me  to  come  to  town, 
and  put  myself  at  thirty  years  of  age  an  apprentice 
to  learn  a  new  trade.  Many  of  our  Welsh  people 
are  going  to  settle  in  North  Carolina  where  land  is 
cheap.  I  am  inclined  to  go  with  them,  and  follow 
try  old  employment.  If  you  will  take  the  debts  of 
the  company  upon  you,  return  to  my  father  the 
hundred  pounds  he  has  advanced,  pay  my  little  per 
sonal  debts,  and  give  me  thirty  pounds  and  a  new 
saddle,  I  will  relinquish  the  partnership,  and  leave 
the  whole  in  your  hands. " 

These  were  hard  terms ;  but  there  was  no  other 
way  in  which  Franklin  could  escape  from  the  em 
barrassments  of  this  untoward  partnership.  He 


THE   DAWN   OF   PROSPERITY. 

accepted  the  proposal  at  once ;  borrowed  the  need 
ful  money  of  his  friends ;  and  became  his  own  sole 
partner. 

True  prosperity  now  began  to  attend  his  indom 
itable  industry,  frugality,  and  wisdom.  The  ad 
vance  of  the  young  man  was  necessarily  slow,  but  it 
was  sure.  Well  aware  that  his  reputation  with  the 
community  would  be  invaluable  to  him,  he  not  only 
endeavored  to  be  industrious,  but  to  let  it  be  seen 
by  his  neighbors  that  he  left  no  stone  unturned  to 
accomplish  his  purposes. 

He  would  trundle,  through  the  streets  of  Phila 
delphia,  in  a  wheel-barrow,  the  paper  which  he  pur 
chased,  by  no  means  seeking  by-streets  where  his 
more  fashionable  companions  would  not  see  him. 
He  dressed  with  the  utmost  simplicity,  but  always 
in  clean  garments,  well  cut,  and  which  presented  his 
admirable  form  to  great  advantage.  Never  did  he 
allow  himself  to  sink  to  the  vulgarity  of  a  slatternly 
appearance.  He  was  ever  ready,  when  engaged  in 
the  most  busy  employments  of  his  office,  to  receive 
without  a  blush,  any  guests,  however  high,  who 
might  chance  to  call. 

The  tranquil  months  glided  on.  Franklin  was 
prospered  in  business,  paid  his  debts,  and  began  to 
accumulate  a  little  property.  Our  young  philoso 
pher  was  never  an  impassioned  lover.  As  he  would 


IIO  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

contemplate,  in  his  increasing  prosperity,  removing 
to  another  more  commodious  office,  so  he  now 
thought,  having  reached  -the  age  of  twenty-four,  that 
it  might  be  expedient  for  him  to  have  a  home  of  his 
own,  and  a  wife  to  take  care  of  his  domestic  affairs. 

He  had  let  a  portion  of  the  house  which  he 
used  for  his  printing  office,  to  a  mechanic  of  the 
Junto  by  the  name  of  Godfrey.  He  conferred  with 
Mrs.  Godfrey  upon  the  subject.  She  had  a  relative, 
a  very  pretty  girl,  Miss  Godfrey,  whom  she  highly 
recommended  and  brought,  as  it  were  by  accident, 
to  take  tea  with  Franklin.  She  was  graceful,  ami 
able,  and  a  child  of  parents  well  to  do  in  the  world. 
Franklin  was  a  remarkably  handsome  and  fascinating 
young  man.  The  courtship  proceeded  successfully 
and  rapidly. 

The  reader  will  be  interested  in  seeing  Franklin's 
own  account  of  this  affair.  He  writes,  in  his  Auto 
biography  : 

"  Mrs.  Godfrey  projected  a  match  with  a  rela 
tion's  daughter,  took  opportunities  of  bringing  us 
often  together,  till  a  serious  courtship  on  my  part 
ensued  ;  the  girl  being,  in  herself,  very  deserving. 
The  old  folks  encouraged  me  by  continual  invitations 
to  supper,  and  by  leaving  us  together,  till  at  length 
it  was  time  to  explain.  Mrs.  Godfrey  managed  our 
little  treaty.  I  let  her  know  I  expected  as  much 


THE   DAWN   OF   PROSPERITY.  Ill 

money  with  their  daughter  as  would  pay  off  my 
remaining  debt  for  the  printing-house ;  which  I 
believe  was  not  then  above  a  hundred  pounds.  She 
brought  me  word  they  had  no  such  sum  to  spare  ;  I 
said  they  might  mortgage  their  house  in  the  loan- 
office.  The  answer  to  this,  after  some  days,  was, 
that  they  did  not  approve  the  match  ;  that,  on 
inquiry  of  Mr.  Bradford,  they  had  been  informed  the 
printing  business  was  not  a  profitable  one,  the  types 
would  soon  be  worn  out,  and  more  wanted  ;  that 
Keimcr  and  David  Harvy  had  failed  one  after  the 
other,  and  I  should  probably  soon  follow  them  ;  and 
therefore  I  was  forbidden  the  house,  and  the  daugh 
ter  was  shut  up." 

Occasionally  Franklin  had  gone  to  the  home  of 
Mrs.  Read,  the  mother  of  the  unhappy  Deborah. 
His  conscience  reproached  him  for  his 'conduct  to 
that  good  girl.  She  was  always  dejected  and  soli 
tary,  and  with  a  broken  heart  clung  to  her  mother, 
her  only  friend.  It  is  doubtful  whether  she  were 
ever  legally  married  to  Rogers.  It  was  rumored 
that  at  the  time  of  their  marriage,  he  was  the  hus 
band  of  one,  if  not  more  wives.  If  legally  married, 
there  was  another  serious  obstacle  in  her  path.  Rog 
ers  had  run  away  to  the  West  Indies.  Rumor  alone 
had  announced  his  death.  He  might  be  still  living. 

Franklin's  sympathy  gradually   became   excited 


112  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

in  her  behalf.  And  at  length  he  proposed  that, 
regardless  of  all  the  risks,  they  should  be  married. 
It  seems  that  he  had  announced  to  her  very  dis 
tinctly  that  he  had  a  living  child,  and  very  honora 
bly  he  had  decided  that  that  child  of  dishonor  was  to 
be  taken  home  and  trained  as  his  own. 

These  were  sad  nuptials.  The  world-weary  wife 
knew  not  but  that  she  had  another  husband  still 
living,  and  a  stigma,  indelible,  rested  upon  Franklin. 
The  marriage  took  place  on  the  first  of  September, 
1730.  It  subsequently  appears  that  Rogers,  the 
potter,  was  really  dead.  The  child  was  taken  home 
and  reared  with  all  possible  tenderness  and  care.  It 
is  a  little  remarkable  that  nothing  is  known  of  what 
became  of  the  mother  of  that  child.  The  boy  grew 
up  to  manhood,  espoused  the  Tory  cause,  when  the 
tories  were  hunting  his  father  to  hang  him,  and  by 
his  ungrateful,  rebellious  conduct,  pierced  his  heart 
with  a  thousand  empoisoned  daggers. 

Mrs.  Franklin  proved  in  all  respects  an  excellent 
woman,  and  an  admirable  wife  for  her  calm,  philo 
sophic  and  unimpassioned  husband.  Franklin  never 
had  a  journeyman  in  his  office  who  performed  his 
functions  more  entirely  to  his  satisfaction,  than  his 
wife  discharged  her  responsible  duties.  She  was 
always  amiable,  industrious  and  thrifty. 

There  was  a  little  shop  attached  to  the  printing- 


THE  DAWN   OF   PROSPERITY.  113 

office  which  Mrs.  Franklin  tended.  She  also  aided 
her  husband  in  folding  and  distributing  the  papers, 
and  with  a  mother's  love  trained,  in  the  rudiments 
of  education,  the  child  whose  mother  was  lost. 

Franklin,  in  his  characteristic,  kindly  apprecia 
tion  of  the  services  of  all  who  were  faithful  in  his 
employ,  speaks  in  the  following  commendatory 
terms  of  the  industrial  excellencies  of  his  wife.  When 
far  away  dazzled  by  the  splendors,  and  bewildered 
by  the  flattery  of  European  courts,  he  wrote  to  her, 

"  It  was  a  comfort  to  me  to  recollect  that  I  had 
once  been  clothed,  from  head  to  foot,  in  woolen  and 
linen  of  my  wife's  manufacture,  and  that  I  never 
was  prouder  of  any  dress  in  my  life." 

In  Franklin's  Autobiography,  as  published  by 
Sparks,  we  read,  "  We  have  an  English  proverb  that 
says,  '  He  that  would  thrive,  must  ask  his  wife.'  It 
was  lucky  for  me  that  I  had  one  as  much  disposed 
to  industry  and  frugality  as  myself.  She  assisted 
me  cheerfully  in  my  business,  folding  and  stitching 
pamphlets,  tending  shop,  purchasing  old  linen  rags, 
for  the  paper-makers,  etc.  We  kept  no  idle  ser 
vants  ;  our  table  was  plain  and  simple,  our  furniture 
of  the  cheapest.  For  instance,  my  breakfast  was, 
for  a  long  time,  bread  and  milk,  (no  tea)  and  I  ate 
it  out  of  a  two-penny  earthern  porringer,  with  a 
pewter-spoon. 


114  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

"  But  mark  how  luxury  will  enter  families,  and 
make  a  progress  in  spite  of  principle.  Being  called 
one  morning  to  breakfast,  I  found  it  in  a  china  bowl, 
with  a  spoon  of  silver.  They  had  been  bought  for 
me  without  my  knowledge,  by  my  wife,  and  had  cost 
her  the  enormous  sum  of  three  and  twenty  shillings  ; 
for  which  she  had  no  other  excuse  or  apology  to 
make,  but  that  she  thought  her  husband  deserved  a 
silver  spoon  and  china  bowl,  as  well  as  any  of  his 
neighbors.  This  was  the  first  appearance  of  plate 
or  china  in  our  house  ;  which  afterward,  in  a  course 
of  years,  as  our  wealth  increased,  augmented  gradu 
ally  to  several  hundred  pounds  in  value."  * 

While  thus  engaged  he  conceived  the  idea  of  es 
tablishing  a  public  subscription  library.  His  knowl 
edge  of  human  nature  taught  him  that  if  he  pre 
sented  the  enterprise  as  his  own,  feelings  of  jeal 
ousy  might  be  excited/  and  it  might  be  imagined 
that  he  was  influenced  by  personal  .ambition.  He 
therefore  said  that  a  number  of  gentlemen  had 
adopted  the  plan,  and  had  requested  him  to  visit 
the  lovers  of  books  and  of  reading,  and  solicit  their 
subscriptions.  Each  subscriber  was  to  contribute 
two  pounds  to  start  the  enterprise,  and  to  pay  a 
yearly  assessment  of  ten  shillings. 

By  the  arduous   labors  of  five  months,  Franklin 

*  Life  of  Franklin,  by  Sparks,  p.  IO2. 


THE   DAWN   OF   PROSPERITY.  11$ 

obtained  fifty  names.  With  this  the  enterprise 
commenced.  Such  was  the  origin  of  the  Philadel 
phia  Library,  now  one  of  the  most  important  insti 
tutions  of  the  kind  in  our  land.  In  the  year  1861, 
seventy  thousand  volumes  were  reported  as  on  its 
shelves. 

Philadelphia  contained  a  population  of  nearly 
ten  thousand  people.  Pennsylvania  was  decidedly 
the  central  point  for  European  emigration.  Its 
climate  was  delightful ;  its  soil  fertile ;  and  Wil 
liam  Penn's  humane  policy  with  the  Indians  had 
secured  for  the  colony  peace  and  friendship  with  the 
native  inhabitants  for  more  than  fifty  years. 

The  white  man,  on  this  continent,  has  told  his 
own  story.  The  Indians  have  had  no  historians. 
But  nothing  is  more  clear  than  that  in  almost  every 
instance  they  were  goaded  to  war  by  the  unendura 
ble  wrongs  which  were  inflicted  upon  them.*  Un 
til  Braddock's  dreadful  defeat,  Pennsylvania  had 
scarcely  known  a  single  alarm.  In  the  summer  of 
1749,  twelve  thousand  Germans  landed  at  Philadel- 

*  "  No  other  British  colony  admits  of  the  evidence  of  an  Indian 
against  a  white  man  ;  nor  are  the  complaints  of  Indians  against 
white  men  duly  regarded  in  other  colonies  ;  whereby  these  poor  peo 
ple  endure  the  most  cruel  treatment  from  the  very  worst  of  our  own 
people,  without  hope  of  redress.  And  all  the  Indian  wars  in  our  col 
onies  were  occasioned  by  such  means." 

Importance  of  the  British  Plantations  in  America  to  these  King 
doms,  London.  1731. 


Il6  BENJAMIN    FRANKLIN. 

phia.  This  was  the  average  number  for  many  years. 
The  policy  of  William  Penn  had  been  to  estab 
lish  upon  the  banks  of  the  Delaware,  an  extended 
and  beautiful  village,  where  every  house  should  have 
its  lawn  and  its  garden  for  vegetables  and  flowers. 
In  the  year  1732,  when  Franklin  was  twenty-six 
years  of  age,  the  dwellings  of  this  village  were  most 
ly  of  brick  or  stone,  and  were  spread  along  the 
banks  of  the  river  for  the  distance  of  a  mile,  with 
streets  running  back  into  the  interior  to  the  distance 
of  about  half  a  mile. 

The  prosperity  of  Philadelphia,  indeed  of  Penn 
sylvania,  was  remarkable.  Provisions  and  the  most 
delicious  fruits  were  in  great  abundance.  Even  the 
pigs  were  fattened  upon  the  most  luscious  peaches: 
Each  family  in  the  city  kept  its  cow,  which  grazed 
upon  the  common  lands  on  the  outskirts  of  the  town. 
The  Philadelphia  of  that  period  was  a  green  village, 
beautifully  shaded  by  trees,  and  presenting  to  every 
visitor  an  aspect  of  rare  attractions.  Professor 
Peter  Kalm,  who  published  an  exceedingly  interest 
ing  account  of  his  travels  in  North  America  between 
the  years  1748  and  1751,  writes, 

"  There  were  fine  orchards  all  about  the  city. 
The  country  people  in  Sweden  and  Finland  guard 
their  turnips  more  carefully  than  the  people  here 
do  the  most  exquisite  fruits.  A  Philadelphian  has 


THE   DAWN   OF   PROSPERITY.  IT/ 

so  much  liberty  and  abundance  that  he  lives  in  his 
house  like  a  king.*' 

The  Quakers,  or  as  they  prefer  to  be  called,  the 
Friends,  at  that  time  composed  about  one-third  of 
the  population  of  Philadelphia,  and  one-half  of  the 
State  of  Pennsylvania.  They  were  a  remarkably  in 
telligent,  industrious  and  worthy  people.  Probably  a 
better  and  more  thrifty  community  was  never  colo 
nized  on  this  globe. 

The  state  of  society  has  greatly  changed  since 
that  day,  and  customs,  which  were  then  deemed  es 
sential,  have  since  become  obsolete.  For  instance, 
the  whipping-post,  the  pillory,  and  the  stocks,  were 
prominent  in  the  market-place  and  were  in  frequent 
use.  There  was  a  public  whipper,  who,  for  his  repul 
sive  services,  received  a  salary  of  fifty  dollars  a  year. 
Until  as  late  as  1760,  women  were  frequently  publicly 
whipped.  It  is  said  that  a  whipping  occurred  on  an 
average,  twice  a  month. 

The  dress  of  gentlemen  was  gaudy  and  extrav 
agant,  unsurpassed  by  that  of  French  or  British 
courtiers.  Immense  wigs,  with  their  profusion  of 
waves  or  curls,  were  in  use  by  the  gentry.  Very 
tight  knee-breeches  were  worn,  with  silk  stockings, 
and  shoes  embellished  with  immense  silver  buckles, 
highly  polished.  Their  coats  were  richly  embroi 
dered,  often  of  silk  velvet,  and  their  full  flow  reached 


Il8  BENJAMIN    FRANKLIN. 

below  the  knees.  Ruffled  shirts  and  ruffled  wrist 
bands  of  linen,  of  snowy  whiteness,  added  to  the 
beauty  of  the  dress.  A  jewelled  scabbard  containing 
a  polished  sword  hung  by  the  side.  A  three-cornered 
hat  completed  this  showy  attire.  There  is  not  a 
Rocky  Mountain  Indian  in  his  most  gorgeous  war 
dress  of  paint  and  plumes,  who  would  attract  more 
attention  walking  down  Broadway,  than  would  Ben 
jamin  Franklin  as  he  was  painted  in  1726. 

His  portrait  was  taken  when  he  was  in  London, 
working  as  a  journeyman  printer.  Contrary  to  the 
general  impression,  Franklin  was  then,  and  through 
all  his  life,  full/  conscious  of  the  advantages  which 
dress  confers.  When  surrounded  by  the  homage  of 
the  court  of  Versailles,  there  was  no  courtier  in  those 
magnificent  saloons  more  attentive  to  his  attire  than 
was  Benjamin  Franklin.  His  keen  sagacity  taught 
him  the  advantage  of  appearing  in  a  dress  entirely 
different  from  that  of  the  splendid  assembly  around 
him,  and  thus  he  attracted  universal  observation. 
But  never  did  he  appear  in  the  presence  of  these 
lords  and  ladies  but  in  a  costly  garb  to  which  he  had 
devoted  much  attention. 

Mr.  Parton,  speaking  of  the  portrait  which  Frank* 
lin  then  had  painted  in  London,  says, 

"  The  fair,  full,  smiling  face  of  Franklin  is  sur 
rounded  in  this  picture  by  a  vast  and  stiff  horse-hair 


THE   DAWN   OF   PROSPERITY.  119 

wig ;  and  his  well-developed  figure  shows  imposingly 
in  a  voluminous  and  decorated  coat  that  reaches 
nearly  to  his  heels.  Under  his  left  arm  he  carries 
his  cocked  hat.  His  manly  bosom  heaves  under 
snowy  ruffles,  and  his  extensive  wrist-bands  are  ex 
posed  to  view  by  the  shortness  of  his  coat  sleeves." 

Between  the  years  1740  and  1775,  while  abun 
dance  reigned  in  Pennsylvania,  and  there  was  peace 
in  all  her  borders,  a  more  happy  and  prosperous 
population  could  not  perhaps  be  found  on  this  globe. 
In  every  home  there  was  comfort.  The  people  gen 
erally  were  highly  moral,  and  knowledge  was  exten 
sively  diffused.  Americans,  who  visited  Europe,  were 
deeply  impressed  by  the  contrast.  In  the  Old  World 
they  saw  everywhere  indications  of  poverty  and 
suffering.  Franklin  wrote,  after  a  tour  in  Great 
Britain  in  1772, 

"  Had  I  never  been  in  the  American  colonies,  but 
were  to  form  my  judgment  of  civil  society  by  what 
I  have  lately  seen,  I  should  never  advise  a  nation  of 
savages  to  admit  of  civilization.  For,  I  assure  you, 
that  in  the  possession  and  enjoyment  of  the  various 
comforts  of  life,  compared  with  these  people,  every 
Indian  is  a  gentleman  ;  and  the  effect  of  this  kind  of 
civil  society  seems  to  be  the  depressing  multitudes 
below  the  savage  state,  that  a  few  may  be  raised 
above  it." 


120  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

Yet  let  it  not  be  supposed  that  the  effects  of  the 
fall  were  not  visible  here,  or  that  man's  inhumanity 
to  man  had  ceased.  There  were  bickerings,  and 
heart  burnings,  and  intense  political  struggles,  in 
which  the  strong  endeavored  to  extend  their  power, 
and  the  weak  endeavored  to  throw  off  the  shackles 
with  which  they  were  bound.  William  Penn  com 
plains  of  the  ambitious  politicians  who  he  said 
thought — "  nothing  taller  than  themselves  but  the 
trees."  John  Adams  denounced  in  severest  terms 
the  tricks  of  the  petty  politicians  ;  and  speaking  of 
the  more  ambitious  ones  who  sought  the  positions 
of  governor  or  custom-house  officers,  he  writes : 

"  These  seekers  are  actuated  by  a  more  ravenous 
sort  of  ambition  and  avarice." 

For  twenty  years  Franklin  continued  a  prosper 
ous  but  uneventful  life,  as  an  active  business  man  in 
Philadelphia.  His  integrity,  his  sagacity,  and  his 
prosperity,  rapidly  increased  the  esteem  in  which  he 
was  held.  But  still  he  was  engaged  in  business  as  a 
printer  and  a  shop-keeper,  which  would  not  now 
give  him  admission  into  what  he  called  the  higher 
circles  of  society. 

He  not  only  edited,  printed  and  published  his 
newspaper,  but  he  also  kept  books  for  sale  and  a 
small  quantity  of  stationery,  and  also  was  a  binder 
of  books.  He  made  and  sold  ink  ;  was  an  extensive 


THE   DAWN   OF   PROSPERITY.  121 

dealer  in  rags ;  and  soap   and  feathers  could  be  pur 
chased  at  his  shop.     We  find  in  his  advertisements 
the  announcement  of  coffee  and  other  groceries  for 
sale. 

And  still  his  printing-office  gradually  became  the 
nucleus  for  the  gathering  of  the  most  intelligent 
and  influential  men.  If  any  important  project  was 
on  foot,  it  was  deemed  essential  to  consult  Benjamin 
Franklin.  His  Gazette  proved  a  great  success,  and 
was  incomparably  the  ablest  paper  published  in  the 
colonies.* 

Franklin's  editorials  were  very  sparkling,  and  are 
considered  a"s  among  the  most  brilliant  of  his  intel 
lectual  efforts.  He  was  almost  invariably  good 
natured,  and  the  design  of  all  he  wrote,  was  to  pro 
mote  integrity  and  kindly  feeling.  He  would  write 
an  article,  as  if  from  a  correspondent,  which  would 
give  him  an  opportunity  to  return  an  amusing  ar 
ticle  in  the  next  number.  A  complete  file  of 
the  paper  is  preserved  in  the  Philadelphia  Li 
brary. 

In  1732,  Franklin  issued  the  first  number  of  the 
Almanac,  called  Poor  Richard,  which  subsequently 
attained  such  wide  renown.  The  popularity  of  the 
work  was  astonishing ;  for  twenty-five  years  it  aver 
aged  ten  thousand  copies  a  year.  This  was  a  won- 

*  Life  and  Works  of  John  Adams,  vol.  ii,  p.  165. 
6 


122  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

derful  sale  in  those  times.  Everybody  was  quoting 
the  pithy  sayings  of  Poor  Richard.* 

Franklin  was  an  extensive  reader.  He  had  a 
memory  almost  miraculous ;  and  his  mind  was  so 
constituted,  that  it  eagerly  grasped  and  retained  any 
sharp  or  witty  sayings.  Thus,  though  many  of  the 
maxims  of  Poor  Richard  originated  with  him,  others 
were  gleaned  from  the  witticisms  of  past  ages,  upon 
which  Franklin  placed  the  imprint  of  his  own  pe 
culiar  genius.  I  give  a  few  of  those  renowned 
maxims  which  soon  became  as  household  words,  in 
every  shop  and  dwelling  of  our  land. 

"  There  is  no  little  enemy."  "  Three  may  keep 
a  secret  if  two  of  them  are  dead."  "  He  is  no  clown 
who  drives  the  plough,  but  he  that  does  clownish 
things."  "  Wealth  is  not  his  that  has  it,  but  his 
that  enjoys  it."  "  The  noblest  question  in  the 
world  is,  '  what  good  may  I  do  in  it.'  "  "  Keep 
your  eye  wide  open  before  marriage  ;  half  shut 
afterward." 

Franklin  was  not  a  poet.  He  could  scheme 
easily,  but  even  his  rhymes  were  poor.  His  sense 
of  delicacy  was  quite  obtuse,  but  perhaps  not  more 

*  "  And  now  after  the  lapse  of  one  hundred  and  thirty  years,  we 
find  persons  willing  to  give  twenty-five  dollars  for  a  single  number, 
and  several  hundred  dollars  for  a  complete  set.  Nay,  the  reading 
matter  of  several  of  the  numbers,  has  been  republished  within  these 
few  years,  and  that  republication  already -begins  to  command  the 
price  of  a  rarity. — Partoris  Life  of  Franklin,  vol.  i,  p.  231. 


THE  DAWN  OF   PROSPERITY.  123 

so,  than   we   ought   to  expect  from   the  unrefined 
times  in  which  he  lived.* 

The  increasing  circulation  of  the  Pennsylvania 
Gazette,  the  extensive  sale  of  Poor  Richard,  and  the 
success  of  many  of  the  small  books  which  Franklin 
published,  soon  placed  the  finances  of  Franklin  in  a 
very  flourishing  condition.  This  enabled  him  to 
send  for  every  important  work  published  in  Eng 
land.  As  he  was  never  an  hour  in  idleness,  and  sel 
dom  entered  any  place  of  popular  amusement,  he 
found  time  to  study  all  these  solid  and  useful  works. 
The  superior  powers  with  which  God  had  endowed 
him,  enabled  him  to  glean  from  their  pages,  and 
store  up  in  his  memory,  all  that  was  most  valuable. 
By  these  indefatigable  studies,  he  was  rapidly  be 
coming  one  of  the  most  learned  of  men,  and  was 
preparing  himself  for  that  brilliant  career,  in  which, 
as  a  statesman  and  a  philosopher,  he  stood  in  the 
first  ranks  of  those  who  had  been  deemed  the  great 
men  of  earth. 

*  "  Poor  Richard,  at  this  day,  would  be  reckoned  an  indecent  pro 
duction.  All  great  humorists  were  all  indecent,  before  Charles  Dick 
ens.  They  used  certain  words  which  are  now  never  pronounced  by 
polite  persons,  and  are  never  printed  by  respectable  printers  ;  and 
they  referred  freely  to  certain  subjects  which  are  familiar  to  every  liv 
ing  creature,  but  which  it  is  now  agreed  among  civilized  beings,  shall 
not  be  topics  of  conversation.  In  this  respect  poor  Richard  was  no 
worse,  and  not  much  better  than  other  colonial  periodicals,  some  of 
which  contain  things  incredibly  obscene,  as  much  so  as  the  strongest 
passages  of  Sterne,  Smollet  and  De  Foe." — Parton. 


124  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

His  first  entrance  to  public  life  was  as  Clerk  to 
the  General  Assembly,  which  was  then  the  Legisla 
ture  of  the  Pennsylvania  Colony.  This  was  an 
office  of  but  little  emolument  or  honor.  His  first 
election  was  unanimous.  The  second  year,  though 
successful,  he  was  opposed  by  an  influential  member. 

Franklin,  who  wished  to  have  every  one  his 
friend,  was  anxious  to  conciliate  him.  He  accom 
plished  his  purpose  shrewdly — perhaps  cunningly,  is 
not  too  strong  a  word  to  use.  Having  heard  that 
the  gentleman  had  a  very  rare  and  valuable  book  in 
his  library,  he  wrote  him  a  very  polite  and  flattering 
letter,  soliciting  the  loan  of  it.  No  man  could  pen 
such  an  epistle  more  adroitly  than  Franklin. 

After  a  few  days  he  returned  the  book  with  one 
of  his  most  exquisite  notes  of  thanks.  The  gentle 
man  was  caught  in  the  trap.  Charmed  with  the 
urbanity  Franklin  displayed  in  the  correspondence, 
the  next  time  he  met  the  philosopher,  he  grasped 
him  cordially  by  the  hand.  Though  he  had  never 
spoken  to  him  before,  he  invited  him  to  his  house. 

Franklin,  commenting  upon  this  adventure, 
writes, 

"  He  ever  after  manifested  a  readiness  to  serve 
me  on  all  occasions,  so  that  we  became  great 
friends,  and  our  friendship  continued  to  his  death. 
This  is  another  instance  of  the  truth  of  an  old 


THE  DAWN   OF  PROSPERITY.  12$ 

maxim  I  had  learned,  which  says  '  He  that  hath 
once  done  you  a  kindness  will  be  more  ready  to  do 
you  another  than  he  whom  you  yourself  have 
obliged/  and  it  shows  how  much  more  profitable  it 
is  prudently  to  remove  than  to  resent,  return,  and 
continue  inimical  proceedings/' 

There  was  something  in  this  transaction,  an 
apparent  want  of  sincerity,  an  approach  to  trickery, 
which  will  impress  many  readers  painfully.  It  was 
a  shrewd  manoeuvre,  skillfully  contrived,  and  suc 
cessfully  executed.  The  perfect  sincerity  of  a 
friendly  and  magnanimous  mind  is  the  safest  guide 
in  all  the  emergencies  of  life. 


CHAPTER   VI. 

Religious  and  Philosophic  Views. 

Studious  habits  —  New  religion — Personal  habits — Church  of  the 
Free  and  Easy — His  many  accomplishments — The  career  of 
Hemphall — Birth  and  Death  of  Franklin's  son — The  Ministry  of 
Whitefield — Remarkable  friendship  between  the  philosopher  and 
the  preacher — Prosperity  of  Franklin — His  convivial  habits — 
The  defense  of  Philadelphia — Birth  of  a  daughter — The  Phila 
delphia  Academy. 

FRANKLIN  was  a  perservering  and  laborious  stu 
dent,  for  whatever  he  read  he  studied.  With  in 
creasing  intellectual  tastes,  he  found  time  every  day 
to  devote  many  hours  to  his  books.  His  reading 
was  of  the  most  elevated  and  instructive  kind.  It 
consisted  almost  exclusively  of  scientific  treatises, 
and  of  history,  biography,  voyages  and  travels. 

His  mind  was  still  struggling  and  floundering  in 
the  midst  of  religious  and  philosophical  speculations. 
He  seems,  from  some  unexplained  reason,  to  have 
been  very  unwilling  to  accept  the  religion  of  Jesus 
Christ  ;  and  yet  he  was  inspired  undeniably  by  a 
very  noble  desire  to  be  a  good  man,  to  attain  a  high 
position  in  morality.  Earnestly  he  endeavored  to 


RELIGIOUS  AND   PHILOSOPHIC   VIEWS.         I2/ 

frame  for  himself  some  scheme  which  would  enable 
him  to  accomplish  that  purpose. 

At  this  time  he  wrote, 

"  Few  in  public  affairs  act  from  a  mere  view  of 
the  good  of  their  country,  whatever  they  may  pre 
tend.  Fewer  still  in  public  affairs  act  with  a  view  to 
the  good  of  mankind.  There  seems  to  me,  at  pres 
ent,  great  occasion  to  raise  a  "  United  Party  for 
Virtue/'  by  forming  the  virtuous  and  good  of  all 
nations  into  a  regular  body,  to  be  governed  by  suit 
able  good  and  wise  rules,  which  good  and  wise  men 
may  probably  be  more  unanimous  in  their  obedience 
to,  than  common  people  are  to  common  laws.  I  at 
present,  think,  that  whoever  attempts  this  aright,  and 
is  well  qualified,  cannot  fail  of  pleasing  God,  and  of 
meeting  with  success." 

Influenced  by  these  exalted  motives,  he  concen 
trated  all  the  energies  of  his  well  informed  mind  to 
the  organization  of  a  new  religion.  To  this  church 
he  gave  the  name  of  "  The  Society  of  the  Free  and 
Easy."  The  members  were  to  be  Free  from  vice, 
and  consequently,  Easy  in  mind.  The  first  article 
of  his  creed  was  that  he  would  have  no  creed.  And 
yet  this  religion,  which  drew  an  antagonistic  distinc 
tion  between  faith  and  works,  denouncing  all  faith 
at  the  same  time  announced  that  its  fundamental 
and  absolutely  essential  faith  was  that  piety  con- 


128  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

sisted  in  cherishing  the  ordinarily  recognized  virtues. 
These  were  Temperance,  Silence,  Order,  Resolution, 
Frugality,  Industry,  Sincerity,  Justice,  Moderation, 
Cleanliness,  Tranquillity,  Charity  and  Humility. 

His  ritual  consisted  in  devoting  one  week  to  the 
cultivation  of  each  of  these  virtues.  He  had  no  Sab 
bath,  no  preached  Gospel,  no  Sacraments.  But  his 
creed,  with  its  corresponding  practice,  certainly  ex 
erted  a  very  powerful  influence,  and  in  many  respects 
beneficial,  upon  his  own  mind. 

With  his  list  of  virtues  before  him,  this  remarka 
ble  young  man  commenced  the  effort  vigorously  to 
attain  perfection.  The  Christian  reader  will  not  be 
at  all  surprised  to  read  from  Franklin's  pen  the  fol 
lowing  account  of  the  result: 

"  I  was  surprised  to  find  myself  so  much  fuller 
of  faults  than  I  had  imagined.  But  I  had  the  satis 
faction  of  seeing  them  diminish.  After  a  while  I 
went  through  one  course  only  in  a  year,  and  after 
wards  only  one  in  several  years ;  till  at  length  I 
omitted  them  entirely,  being  employed  in  voyages 
and  business  abroad,  with  a  multiplicity  of  affairs 
that  interfered." 

Franklin  was  a  very  proud  man.  He  could  not. 
but  be  conscious  of  his  great  superiority  over  most 
of  those  with  whom  he  associated.  He  avows  that 
the  virtue  of  humility  he  never  could  attain.  The 


THE  DAWN   OF  PROSPERITY.  1 29 

semblance  of  that  virtue  he  could  easily  assume,  but 
he  says  that  the  pride  of  his  heart  was  such  that 
had  he  attained  it,  he  would  have  been  proud  of  his 
humility.  He  adopted  the  following  as  the  ordina 
ry  routine  of  life. 

He  rose  at  five,  very  carefully  performed  his 
ablutions,  and  then  offered  a  brief  prayer  to  a  being 
whom  he  called  "  Powerful  Goodness."  Why  he 
should  have  preferred  that  address  to  the  more  sim 
ple  one  of  "  Our  Heavenly  Father,"  we  know  not. 
He  then  laid  out  the  business  of  the  day,  and  for  a 
short  time  directed  his  mind  to  the  especial  virtue 
which  he  intended  that  day  and  week  to  cherish.* 

In  the  freshness  of  all  his  morning  energies  he 
devoted  himself  to  his  books  for  an  hour  and  a  half. 
This  brought  him  to  breakfast-time.  At  eight 
o'clock  he  commenced  work  in  his  shop,  to  which 
he  devoted  himself  assiduously  until  twelve.  An 
hour  was  then  allowed  for  dinner  and  rest.  At  one 
he  returned  to  the  arduous  labors  of  his  shop,  labors 
which  engrossed  all  his  energies,  and  continued  the 
employment  until  six.  His  day's  hard  work  was 
then  ordinarily  closed.  He  took  his  supper,  re- 

*  "It  was  about  this  time  I  conceived  the  bold  and  arduous  pro 
ject  of  arriving  at  moral  perfection.  I  wished  to  live  without  commit 
ting  any  fault  at  any  time.  As  I  knew,  or  thought  I  knew  what  was 
right  and  wrong,  I  did  not  see  why  I  might  not  always  do  the  one 
and  avoid  the  other.  But  I  soon  found  that  I  had  undertaken  a  task 
of  more  difficulty  than  I  had  imagined." — Autobiography,  p.  105. 

6* 


I3O  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

ceived  his  friends,  or  more  commonly  read  and 
studied  until  ten  o'clock  at  night,  when  a'lmost 
invariably  he  retired  to  his  bed. 

His  mind  still  for  a  time  continued  much  inter 
ested  in  his  plan  for  the  church  of  the  Free  and 
Easy.  We  find  among  his  papers  that  he  decided 
that  candidates  for  admission  should,  after  a  careful 
examination,  to  ascertain  that  their  creed  was,  to 
have  no  creed,  and  that  their  faith  was,  to  abjure  all 
faith,  be  subject  to  a  probation  of  thirteen  weeks. 
It  seems  that  no  candidate  ever  applied  for  admis 
sion.  There  were  no  apostles  to  wander  abroad 
proclaiming  the  new  gospel.  Increasing  business 
absorbed  Franklin's  time,  and  the  new  church  was 
forgotten. 

The  sole  motive  which  Franklin  urged  to  in 
spire  to  action,  was  self-interest.  "  You  should  be 
honest,"  he  would  say,  "  because  it  is  politic.  You 
abstain  from  vice  for  the  same  reason  that  you 
should  not  drink  poison,  for  it  will  hurt  you."  In 
the  enforcement  of  these  views  he  writes, 

"  It  was  my  design  to  explain  and  enforce  this 
doctrine,  that  vicious  actions  are  not  hurtful  because 
they  are  forbidden,  but  forbidden  because  they  are 
hurtful.  I*t  was,  therefore,  every  one's  interest  to 
be  virtuous  who  wished  to  be  happy  in  this 
world.  And  I  should  from  this  circumstance  (there 


THE   DAWN   OF   PROSPERITY.  131 

being  always  in  the  world  a  number  of  rich  mer 
chants,  nobility,  states  and  princes,  who  have  need 
of  honest  instruments  for  the  management  of  their 
affairs,  and  such  being  so  rare)  have  end-eavored  to 
convince  young  persons  that  no  qualities  are  so  likely 
to  make  a  poor  man's  fortune  as  those  of  probity 
and  integrity." 

It  may  be  doubted  whether  such  considerations 
ever  made  a  truly  good  man.  Virtue  must  be  loved 
for  its  own  sake.  Vice  must  be  deserted  for  its  in 
herent  baseness,  even  though  it  may  bring  a  great 
reward. 

Franklin,  in  the  prosecution  of  his  studies,  devo 
ted  himself  to  French,  Spanish,  Italian,  and  even  to 
Latin.  In  all  these  he  became  a  proficient.  His 
mind  was  wonderfully  prompt  in  the  acquisition  of 
knowledge.  He  could  hardly  have  devoted  himself 
more  assiduously  and  successfully  to  these  studies, 
had  some  good  angel  whispered  in  the  ear  of  the 
young  printer  the  astounding  intelligence,  "  You  are 
yet  to  be  the  ambassador  of  the  United  States  to 
European  courts.  .  You  are  to  appear  in  those  glit 
tering  assemblages  as  the  equal  of  the  highest  noble  ; 
and  are  to  enjoy  the  hospitalities  of  kings  and 
queens.  Familiarity  with  these  languages,  and  the 
intellectual  culture  you  are  thus  acquiring  will  be  of 
more  value  to  you  than  mines  of  gold." 


132  BENJAMIN    FRANKLIN. 

This  remarkable  man  prized  all  branches  of 
knowledge  ;  and  seemed  to  excel  in  all.  He  devoted 
much  attention  to  music.  With  much  skill  he 
played  upon  the  harp,  the  guitar,  the  violin,  and  the 
violincello. 

In  the  year  1734,  a  young  preacher  by  the  name 
of  Hemphill  came  to  Philadelphia  from  England. 
He  was  deemed  by  the  orthodox  clergy,  very  hete 
rodox  in  his  opinions.  Probably  suspicions  of  his 
orthodoxy  were  enhanced  from  the  fact  that  he 
brought  high  testimonials  of  eloquence  from  several 
of  the  most  prominent  deists  and  free-thinkers  in 
England.  He  was  very  fluent,  at  times  very  elo 
quent,  and  Franklin  was  charmed  with  the  man  and 
his  doctrines. 

Boldly  denouncing  all  creeds,  and  all  religious 
faith,  he  announced  it  as  his  creed  and  his  faith  that 
piety  consists  in  conduct  alone.  Crowds  flocked  to 
hear  him.  One  day,  after  preaching  a  very  eloquent 
sermon,  some  one  discovered  that  he  had  stolen  that 
sermon  from  Dr.  James  Foster,  the  most  popular 
preacher  in  London.  An  investigation  took  place, 
in  which  he  was  compelled  to  acknowledge  that  he 
had  stolen  every  one  of  his  sermons.  Franklin 
writes, 

"  This  detection  gave  many  of  our  party  disgust, 
who  accordingly  abandoned  his  cause,  and  occasioned 


THE   DAWN   OF  PROSPERITY.  133 

our  more  speedy  discomfiture  in  the  synod.  I  stuck 
by  him,  however.  I  rather  approved  his  giving  us 
good  sermons  composed  by  others,  than  bad  ones 
of  his  own,  though  the  latter  was  the  practice  of  our 
common  teachers." 

Had  the  young  man  said  frankly,  "  I  am  rehears 
ing  to  you  the  most  eloquent  sermons  of  the  most 
eloquent  English  divines,"  no  one  could  have  found 
any  fault.  But  for  him  to  assume  that  the  sermons 
were  his  own,  and  that  he  personally  was  entitled  to 
the  credit  of  whatever  power  they  exhibited,  was 
certainly  practicing  deception.  It  was  a  gross 
violation  of  Franklin's  cardinal  virtue  of  sincerity. 
It  was  unworthy  of  Franklin,  in  his  charitable  regard 
for  the  offender,  to  gloss  over  the  real  criminality  of 
the  offence. 

A  year  after  Franklin's  marriage,  a  son  was  born 
to  him,  to  whom  he  gave  the  name  of  Francis  Fol- 
ger  Franklin.  All  accounts  agree  in  describing  the 
child  as  endowed  with  remarkable  beauty  and  intel 
ligence.  Probably  Franklin  never  loved  any  being 
as  he  loved  that  child.  In  the  year  1736,  when 
this  wonderful  boy  was  but  four  years  of  age,  he 
was  seized  with  the  small-pox  and  died.  Even  the 
philosophic  Franklin  was  almost  crushed  by  the 
terrible  calamity.  The  cheering  views  of  the  Chris 
tian  faith  could  not  sustain  him.  He  had  no  vivid 


134  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

conception  of  his  cherub  boy  an  angel  in  Heaven 
awaiting  his  father's  arrival.  He  could  only  say 
that  "  I  am  inclined  to  believe  that  my  child  has  not 
passed  away  into  utter  annihilation ;  but  who 
knows  ?  Many  of  the  wisest  and  best  on  earth 
utterly  discard  the  idea  of  a  future  existence.  They 
deem  the  thought  the  conceit  of  ignorance  and 
fanaticism." 

We  read  the  following  epitah  on  his  little  grave 
stone  with  much  sympathy  for  the  bereaved  father. 
He  could  only  write 

Francis   F. 
Son  of  Benjamin  and  Deborah 

Franklin. 

Deceased"  November  12,  1736, 

Aged  four  years,  one  month  and  one  day. 

The  delight  of  all  who  knew  him. 

In  the  year  1739,  Rev.  George  Whitefield  arrived 
in  Philadelphia.  It  is  remarkable  that  a  warm 
friendship  should  have  sprung  up  between  men  so 
very  diverse  in  character.  But  Franklin  could  not 
be  insensible  to  the  wonderful  power  of  this 
preacher,  in  promoting  public  morals,  and  in  trans 
forming  the  worst  of  men  into  valuable  citizens, 
faithfully  performing  all  the  duties  of  life.  It  is  sur 
prising  that  this  effect  of  the  Gospel  did  not  teach 
him  that  Christianity  is  the  "  wisdom  of  God,  and 
the  power  of  God  to  salvation."  Love  was  emphati- 


THE  DAWN   OF    PROSPERITY.  135 

cally  the  message  which  Whitefield,  with  tearful  eyes 
and  throbbing  heart,  proclaimed  to  the  wicked  and 
the  sorrowing.  "  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he 
gave  his  only  begotten  son  that  whosoever  believeth 
in  him  should  not  perish  but  should  have  everlast 
ing  life."  Christ  "  came  not  into  the  world  to  con 
demn  the  world,  but  that  the  world  through  him 
might  be  saved." 

Such  were  the  themes  which  this  apostolic 
preacher  unfolded,  and  which  moved  human  hearts, 
in  these  new  colonies  as  seventeen  hundred  years 
ago  they  were  moved  by  the  preaching  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  and  his  disciple  Paul,  upon  the  plains 
of  Asia. 

Whitefield  taught  that  belief  controlled  conduct. 
As  a  man  sincerely  believes  so  will  he  act.  Frank 
lin,  with  his  accustomed  candor,  in  his  Autobiogra 
phy,  wrote  in  the  following  terms,  the  effects  of  the 
preaching  of  this  remarkable  reformer : 

"  The  multitudes  of  all  sects  and  denominations 
that  attended  his  sermons  were  enormous.  It  was 
wonderful  to  see  the  change  soon  made  in  the  man 
ners  of  our  inhabitants.  From  being  thoughtless  or 
indifferent  about  religion,  it  seemed  as  if  all  the 
world  were  growing  religious ;  so  that  one  could  not 
walk  through  the  town,  in  an  evening,  without  hear 
ing  psalms  sung  in  different  families  of  every  street. 


1 36  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

"  Mr.  Whitefield,  on  leaving  us,  went  preaching 
all  the  way  through  the  colonies  to  Georgia.  The 
settlement  of  that  province  had  been  lately  begun  ; 
but  instead  of  being  made  with  hardy,  industrious 
husbandmen,  accustomed  to  labor,  the  only  people 
fit  for  such  an  enterprise,  it  was  with  families  of 
broken  shop-keepers,  and  other  insolvent  debtors ; 
many  of  indolent  and  idle  habits,  taken  out  of  the 
jails  who,  being  set  down  in  the  woods,  unqualified 
for  clearing  land,  and  unable  to  endure  the  hard 
ships  of  a  new  settlement,  perished  in  numbers, 
leaving  many  helpless  children  unprovided  for. 

"  The  sight  of  their  miserable  situation  inspired 
the  benevolent  heart  of  Mr.  Whitefield  with  the 
idea  of  building  an  Orphan  House  there  in  which 
they  might  be  supported  and  educated.  Returning 
northward,  he  preached  up  this  charity,  and  made 
large  collections." 

"  I  did  not  disapprove  of  the  design ;  but  as 
Georgia  was  then  destitute  of  materials  and  work 
men,  and  it  was  proposed  to  send  them  from  Phila 
delphia  at  a  great  expense,  I  thought  it  would  have 
been  better  to  have  built  the  house  at  Philadelphia, 
and  brought  the  children  to  it.  This  I  advised. 
But  he  was  resolute  in  his  first  project,  rejected  my 
counsel,  and  I  therefore  refused  to  contribute. 

"  I  happened  soon  after  to  attend  one  of  his  ser- 


THE   DAWN   OF   PROSPERITY.  137 

mons,  in  the  course  of  which  I  perceived  he  in 
tended  to  finish  with  a  collection,  and  I  silently 
resolved  he  should  get  nothing  from  me.  I  had  in 
my  pocket  a  handful  of  copper  money,  three  or  four 
silver  dollars,  and  five  pistoles  in  gold,  (about  twen 
ty-five  dollars).  As  he  proceeded  I  began  to  soften, 
and  concluded  to  give  the  copper ;  another  stroke 
of  his  oratory  made  me  ashamed  of  that,  and  deter 
mined  me  to  give  the  silver;  and  he  finished  so 
admirably  that  I  emptied  my  pockets  wholly  into 
the  collector's  dish,  gold  and  all. 

"  Some  of  Mr.  Whitefield's  enemies  affected  to 
suppose  that  he  would  apply  these  collections  to  his 
own  private  emolument.  But  I,  who  was  intimate 
ly  acquainted  with  him,  being  employed  in  printing 
his  sermons  and  journals,  never  had  the  least 
suspicion  of  his  integrity ;  but  am  to  this  day 
decidedly  of  the  opinion,  that  he  was  in  all  his 
conduct  a  perfectly  honest  man  ;  and  methinks  my 
testimony  ought  have  the  more  weight,  as  we  had 
no  religious  connection.  He  used,  indeed,  some 
times  to  pray  for  my  conversion,  but  never  had  the 
satisfaction  of  believing  that  his  prayers  were  heard. 
Ours  was  a  friendship  sincere  on  both  sides,  and 
lasted  to  his  death."  * 

At   one   time   Franklin  wrote  to   Whitefield,  in 

*  "  Autobiography  of  Franklin,"  as  given  by  Sparks,  p.  139. 


138  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

Boston,  inviting  him,  as  he  was  about  to  come  to 
Philadelphia,  to  make  his  house  his  home.  The 
devout  preacher  replied, 

"  If  you  make  this  offer  for  Christ's  sake  you  will 
not  lose  your  reward/' 

Promptly  the  philosopher  rejected  any  such  mo 
tive,  and  rejoined, 

"  Do  not  be  mistaken.  It  was  not  for  Christ's 
sake  I  invited  you,  but  for  your  own  sake." 

In  all  the  numerous  letters,  essays,  and  philo 
sophical  and  religious  disquisitions  of  Franklin,  we 
seldom,  I  think,  find  a  sentiment  indicative  of  any 
high  appreciation  of  the  character  of  Jesus  Christ : 
or  the  debt  of  gratitude  we  owe  to  him,  either  for 
his  teaching  or  for  his  example.  As  Franklin  dis 
carded  all  idea  of  the  Atonement,  he  of  course  could 
not  express  any  gratitude  for  that  which  is,  to  the 
Christian,  the  crowning  act  even  of  divine  love. 
This  Saviour,  to  millions  who  cannot  be  counted, 
has  proved,  even  if  the  comfort  be  a  delusion,  in 
temptation,  disappointment,  and  death,  more  pre 
cious  than  it  is  in  the  power  of  words  to  declare. 

One  article  from  Franklin's  newspaper,  published 
in  the  year  1740,  gives  an  idea  of  the  extraordinary 
interest  which  the  preaching  of  Whitefield  excited. 

"  On  Thursday  last  the  Reverend  Mr.  Whitefield 
left  this  city,  and  was  accompanied  to  Chester  by 


THE   DAWN   OF  PROSPERITY.  139 

about  one  hundred  and  fifty  horse ;  and  preached 
there  to  about  seven  thousand  people.  On  Friday 
he  preached  twice  at  Willings  Town  to  about  five 
thousand.  On  Saturday,  at  Newcastle,  to  about  two 
thousand  five  hundred  ;  and  the  same  evening  at 
Christiana  Bridge  to  about  three  thousand ;  on  Sun 
day  at  White  Clay  Creek,  he  preached  twice,  resting 
about  half  an  hour  between  the  sermons,  to  eight 
thousand,  of  whom  three  thousand,  it  is  computed, 
came  on  horseback.  It  rained  most  of  the  time,  and 
yet  they  stood  in  the  open  air." 

The  keenness  of  the  scrutiny  with  which  Franklin 
watched  all  the  operations  of  nature,  led  him  to  the 
discovery  of  the  before  unknown  fact  that  the  fierce 
north-east  storms  which  sweep  our  Atlantic  coast 
invariably  begin  in  the  south-west,  and  move  back 
wards,  diminishing  in  violence  as  they  go.  He  also, 
about  this  time,  invented  the  Franklin  stove,  which 
in  the  day  when  wood  was  the  only  fuel  consumed 
has  invested  so  many  firesides  with  a  rare  aspect  of 
cheerfulness.  He  wrote  a  very  ingenious  pamphlet, 
elucidating  the  philosophy  of  house-warming. 

There  is  great  moral  power  in  prosperity,  when 
wisely  accepted  and  enjoyed.  Franklin  was  now  a 
prosperous  man.  His  income  was  constantly  increas 
ing.  His  virtues,  and  they  were  great  ones,  proved 
in  all  respects  promotive  of  his  worldly  welfare.  His 


I4O  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

journal  was  the  leading  paper,  certainly  in  all  that 
region,  and  had  not  its  superior  in  any  of  the  colo 
nies.  His  renowned  almanac,  Poor  Richard,  attained 
an  unexampled  sale.  The  work  executed  in  his 
printing  office  was  so  excellent  as  to  bring  in  to  him 
many  orders  even  from  the  other  provinces.  The 
various  books  and  pamphlets  he  had  published  had 
all  been  successful.  Philadelphia  had  already  be 
come  the  chief  town  of  the  Colonies. 

Notwithstanding  Franklin's  devotion  to  books, 
to  business,  and  to  philosophical  research,  he  is  rep 
resented  to  have  been  at  this  time,  a  jovial  man, 
very  fond  of  convivial  gatherings.  He  could  not 
only  write  a  good  song,  but  he  could  sing  it,  to  the. 
acceptance  of  his  companions.  One  of  these  songs 
entitled  "  The  Old  Man's  Wish  "  he  says  he  sang 
over  a  thousand  times.  We  give  the  concluding 
stanza,  illustrative  of  its  general  character. 

"  With  a  courage  undaunted,  may  I  face  the  last  day, 
And  when  I  am  gone  may  the  better  sort  say, — 
In  the  morning  when  sober,  in  the  evening  when  mellow, 
He  has  gone  and  not  left  behind  him  his  fellow, 
For  he  governed  his  passions  with  absolute  sway." 

There  was,  as  usual,  war  in  Europe.  Enormous 
armies  were  burning  cities  and  villages,  drenching 
the  trampled  harvest  fields  with  blood,  and  filling 
the  humble  hamlets  of  the  poor  with  misery.  There 


THE   DAWN   OF   PROSPERITY.  141 

was  every  reason  to  fear  that  these  awful  storms, 
raised  by  the  passions  of  depraved  men,  would  reach 
the  peaceful  shores  of  the  Delaware.  Philadelphia 
was  entirely  undefended.  It  is  said  that  there  was 
not  an  available  cannon  in  Pennsylvania. 

A  well-armed  privateer  could  at  any  hour,  seize 
and  sack  the  city.  Quaker  influence  so  far  prevailed 
that  the  legislature  could  not  be  induced  to  raise  a 
battery,  or  purchase  a  gun.  Franklin  wrote  a  very 
powerful  pamphlet,  called  Plain  Truth,  urging  the 
necessity  of  adopting  some  measures  of  defence. 
He  showed  how  the  colony  could,  at  any  time,  be 
ravaged  by  a  few  vessels  from  any  European  nation 
then  in  conflict  with  England.  I  give  a  few  extracts 
from  this  admirable  pamphlet : 

"  On  the  first  alarm,  terror  will  spread  over  all. 
Many  will  seek  safety  by  flight.  Those  that  are 
reputed  rich  will  flee,  through  fear  of  torture  to 
make  them  produce  more  than  they  are  able.  The 
man  that  has  a  wife  and  children,  will  find  them 
hanging  on  his  neck,  beseeching  him  to  quit  the 
city,  and  save  his  life.  All  will  run  into  confusion, 
amid  cries  and  lamentations,  and  the  hurry  and  dis 
order  of  departures.  The  few  that  remain,  will  be 
unable  to  resist. 

"  Sacking  the  city  will  be  the  first  ;  and  burning 
it,  in  all  probability,  the  last  act  of  the  enemy.  This 


142  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

I  believe  will  be  the  case,  if  you  have  timely  notice. 
But  what  must  be  your  condition,  if  suddenly  sur 
prised  without  previous  alarm,  perhaps  in  the  night. 
Confined  to  your  houses,  you  will  have  nothing  to 
trust  but  the  enemy's  mercy.  Your  best  fortune 
will  be  to  fall  under  the  power  of  commanders  of 
king's  ships,  able  to  control  the  mariners,  and  not 
into  the  hands  of  licentious  privateers. 

"  Who  can  without  the  utmost  horror,  conceive 
the  miseries  of  the  latter  when  your  "persons,  for 
tunes,  wives  and  daughters,  shall  be  subject  to  the 
wanton  and  unbridled  rage,  rapine,  and  lust,  of 
negroes,  mulattoes,  and  others,  the  vilest  and  most 
abandoned  of  mankind  ?  " 

This  warning  effectually  roused  the  community. 
A  public  meeting  was  summoned,  in  the  immense 
building  erected  to  accommodate  the  crowds  who 
flocked  to  hear  Whitefield.  Here  Franklin  ha 
rangued  the  multitude.  An  Association  of  Defence 
was  organized.  Ten  thousand  persons  enrolled 
their  names.  In  a  few  days  nearly  every  man  in  the 
province,  who  was  not  a  Quaker,  had  joined  some 
military  organization.  Each  man  purchased  for 
himself  a  weapon,  and  was  learning  how  to  use  it. 

Eighty  companies  were  organized  and  disci 
plined.  The  companies  in  Philadelphia  united  in  a 
regiment,  and  chose  Franklin  their  colonel.  Wisely 


THE   DAWN   OF   PROSPERITY.  143 

he  declined  the  office,  "  conceiving  myself  unfit,"  he 
says.  A  battery  was  thrown  up  below  the  town. 
Some  cannon  were  sent  for  from  Boston.  Several 
eighteen-pounders  were  obtained  in  New  York,  and 
more  were  ordered  from  London.  In  manning  the 
battery,  Franklin  took  his  turn  of  duty  as  a  com 
mon  soldier. 

There  was  not  a  little  opposition  to  these  meas 
ures,  but  still  the  strong  current  of  popular  opinion 
was  in  their  favor.  Even  the  young  Quakers, 
though  anxious  to  avoid  wounding  the  feelings 'of 
their  parents,  secretly  gave  their  influence  to  these 
preparations  of  defence.  The  peace  of  Aix  la 
Chapelle  in  1748,  terminated  these  alarms.  But  the 
wisdom  and  energy  which  Franklin  had  displayed, 
caused  him  to  be  regarded  as  the  most  prominent 
man  in  Pennsylvania.  The  masses  of  the  people 
regarded  him  with  singular  homage  and  confidence. 

In  1744,  Franklin  had  a  daughter  born,  to  whom 
he  gave  the  name  of  Sarah.  His  motherless  son 
William,  who  was  destined  to  give  his  father  great 
trouble,  was  growing  up,  stout,  idle,  and  intractable. 
Early  in  the  war  he  had  run  away,  and  enlisted  on 
board  a  privateer.  With  much  difficulty  his  father 
rescued  him  from  these  engagements.  Franklin 
was  evidently  embarrassed  to  know  what  to  do  with 
the  boy.  He  allowed  him,  when  but  sixteen  years 


144  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

of  age,  to  enlist  as  a  soldier  in  an  expedition  against 
Canada. 

About  this  time  Franklin  wrote  to  his  sister 
Jane,  whose  son  had  also  run  away  to  enlist  as  a  pri 
vateer.  He  wished  to  console  her  by  the  assurance 
that  it  was  not  in  consequence  of  unkind  treatment, 
that  the  boys  were  induced  thus  to  act.  He  wrote  : 

"  When  boys  see  prizes  brought  in,  and  quanti 
ties  of  money  shared  among  the  men,  and  their  gay 
living,  it  fills  their  heads  with  notions  that  half  dis 
tract  them  ;  and  puts  them  quite  out  of  conceit  with 
trades  and  the  dull  ways  of  getting  money  by  work 
ing.  My  only  son  left  my  house  unknown  to  us  all, 
and  got  on  board  a  privateer,  from  whence  I  fetched 
him.  No  one  imagined  it  was  hard  usage  at  home 
that  made  him  do  this.  Every  one  that  knows  me 
thinks  I  am  too  indulgent  a  parent,  as  well  as 
master." 

The  father  of  Benjamin  Franklin  died  in  Boston, 
at  the  great  age  of  eighty-nine  years.  He  had  se 
cured,  in  a  very  high  degree,  the  respect  of  the  peo 
ple,  not  only  by  his  irreproachable  morals,  but  by 
his  unfeigned  piety.  The  Boston  News  Letter,  of 
January  17,  1745,  in  the  following  brief  obituary, 
chronicles  his  death  : 

"  Last  night  died  Mr.  Josiah  Franklin,  tallow 
chandler,  and  soap  maker.  By  the  force  of  steady 


THE  DAWN   OF   PROSPERITY.  145 

temperance  he  had  made  a  constitution,  none  of  the 
strongest,  last  with  comfort  to  the  age  of  eighty- 
nine  years.  And  by  an  entire  dependence  on  his 
Redeemer,  and  a  constant  course  of  the  strictest 
piety  and  virtue,  he  was  enabled  to  die  as  he  lived, 
with  cheerfulness  and  peace,  leaving  a  numerous 
posterity  the  honor  of  being  descended  from  a  per 
son  who,  through  a  long  life,  supported  the  character 
of  an  honest  man." 

In  the  year  1743  Franklin  drew  up  a  plan  for  an 
Academy  in  Philadelphia.  In  consequence  of  the 
troubled  times  the  tract  was  not  published  until  the 
year  1/49.  It  was  entitled,  "  Proposals  Relating  to 
the  Education  of  Youth  in  Pennsylvania."  The  sug 
gestions  he  presented  indicated  a  wide  acquaintance 
with  the  writings  of  the  most  eminent  philosophers. 
He  marked  out  minutely,  and  with  great  wisdom, 
the  course  of  study  to  be  pursued.  It  is  pleasant  to 
read  the  following  statement,  in  this  programme. 
Urging  the  study  of  History,  he  writes, 

"  History  will  also  afford  frequent  opportunities 
,of  showing  the  necessity  of  &  public  religion,  from  its 
usefulness  to  the  public  ;  the  advantages  of  a  reli 
gious  character  among  private  persons  ;  the  mis 
chiefs  of  superstition  and  the  excellency  of  the  Chris 
tian  religion  above  all  others,  ancient  and  modern." 

Perhaps  this  tribute  to  the  excellence  of  Chris- 
7 


146  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

tianity  ought  in  some  degree  to  modify  the  impres 
sion  left  upon  the  mind,  by  Franklin's  studious 
avoidal,  in  all  his  writings,  of  any  allusion  to  the 
name  of  Jesus  Christ  its  founder. 

Twenty-five  thousand  dollars  were  speedily  raised 
for  this  institution.  All  the  religious  sects  har 
moniously  united.  One  individual  from  each  sect 
was  appointed,  to  form  the  corporate  body  intrusted 
with  the  funds.  But  almost  tho*.  entire  care  and 
trouble  of  rearing  the  building,  and  organizing  the 
institution  fell  upon  Franklin.  He  was  found  to  be 
fully  adequate  to  all  these  responsibilities. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

The  Tradesman  becomes  a  Philosopher. 

Franklin  appointed  Indian  commissioner — Effects  of  Rum — Indian 
logic — Accumulating  honors — Benevolent  enterprises — Frank 
lin's  counsel  to  Tennent — Efforts  for  city  improvement — Anec 
dotes — Franklin  appointed  postmaster — Rumors  of  War — Eng 
land  enlists  the  Six  Nations  in  her  cause — Franklin  plans  a  Con 
federacy  of  States — Plans  rejected — Electrical  experiments — 
Franklin's  increase  of  income — Fearful  experiments — The  kite — • 
New  honors — Views  of  the  French  philosopher — Franklin's 
Religious  views — His  counsel  to  a  young  pleader — Post  office 
Reforms. 

IN  the  year  1740,  Franklin,  then  forty-four 
years  of  age,  was  appointed  on  a  commission  to 
form  a  treaty  with  the  Indians  at  Carlisle.  Frank 
lin,  knowing  the  frenzy  to  which  the  savages  were 
plunged  by  intoxication,  promised  them  that,  if 
they  would  keep  entirely  sober  until  the  treaty  was 
concluded,  they  should  then  have  an  ample  supply 
of  rum.  The  agreement  was  made  and  faithfully 
kept. 

"  They  then,"  writes  Franklin,  "  claimed  and 
received  the  rum.  This  was  in  the  afternoon. 
They  were  near  one  hundred  men,  women  and  chil 
dren,  and  were  lodged  in  temporary  cabins,  built  in 


148  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

the  form  of  a  square,  just  without  the  town.  In  the 
evening,  hearing  a  great  noise  among  them,  the 
commissioners  walked  to  see  what  was  the  matter. 

"  We  found  that  they  had  made  a  great  bonfire 
in  the  middle  of  the  square ;  that  they  were  all 
drunk,  men  and  women  quarreling  and  fighting. 
Their  dark-colored  bodies,  half-naked,  seen  only  by 
the  gloomy  light  of  the  bonfire,  running  after  and 
beating  one  another  with  firebrands,  accompanied 
by  their  horrid  yellings,  formed  a  scene  the  most 
resembling  our  ideas  of  hell,  that  could  well  be  im 
agined.  There  was  no  appeasing  the  tumult,  and 
we  returned  to  our  lodgings.  At  midnight  a  num 
ber  of  them  came  thundering  at  our  door  demand 
ing  more  rum,  of  which  we  took  no  notice. 

"  The  next  morning  they  all  seemed  very  much 
ashamed  of  the  disgraceful  orgies  in  which  they  had 
indulged.  There  was  a  law  written  in  their  own 
hearts,  which  told  them  that  they  had  done  wrong. 
Three  chiefs  were  appointed  to  call  upon  the  com 
missioners  with  an  humble  apology.  With  down 
cast  looks  they  confessed  their  fault,  and  then  with 
logic  which  more  intelligent  men  sometimes  use,  en 
deavored  to  throw  the  blame  upon  God.  In  remark 
able  speech  one  of  them  said, 

"  '  The  Great  Spirit,  who  made  all  things,  made 
everything  for  some  use.  Whatever  use  he  designed 


THE  TRADESMAN  A   PHILOSOPHER.  149 

anything  for,  that  use  it  should  be  always  put  to. 
Now,  when  he  made  rum,  he  said,  '  Let  this  be  for 
the  Indians  to  get  drunk  with  !  and  it  must  be 
so/  " 

The  Governor  at  this  time  appointed  Franklin  a 
Justice  of  Peace.  Franklin  says  he  was  much  flat 
tered  by  these  accumulating  honors.  Soon  he  was 
elected  to  a  seat,  as  one  of  the  Legislators  in  the 
Assembly.  Mainly  through  his  influence,  a  hospital 
for  the  sick  was  established  in  Philadelphia. 
Though  the  measure  encountered  much  opposition, 
he  carried  it ;  and  the  institution  proved  of  incalcu 
lable  benefit. 

The  Rev.  Gilbert  Tennent  solicited  Franklin's 
aid  in  raising  money  for  building  a  Meeting  House. 
As  Franklin  had  been  so  continually  engaged  in 
asking  for  money  for  various  objects  of  benevolence, 
he  was  afraid  he  should  become  obnoxious  to  his 
fellow-citizens,  and  declined.  Mr.  Tennent  then 
requested  him  to  give  him  a  list  of  the  names  of 
those  influential  persons  upon  whom  it  would  be 
well  for  him  to  call.  Every  Christian  minister  who 
reads  this,  will  appreciate  the  nature  of  his  embar 
rassment.  Franklin  says  that  he  thought  it  would 
be  unbecoming  in  him,  after  having  emptied  the 
purses  of  his  friends,  to  send  other  beggars  to  them, 
with  renewed  importunities.  .This  request  he  there- 


I$0  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

fore  declined.     Mr.  Tennent  then  urged  him  to  give 
him  some  advice.     Franklin  replied, 

"  That  I  will  willingly  do.  In  the  first  place,  I 
advise  you  to  apply  to  all  those  who  you  know  will 
do  something ;  next,  to  those  who  you  are  uncer 
tain  whether  they  will  give  anything  or  not,  and 
show  them  the  list  of  those  who  have  given  ;  and 
lastly,  do  not  neglect  those  who  you  are  sure  will 
give  nothing,  for  in  some  of  them  you  may  be  mis 
taken." 

Mr.  Tennent  laughed  heartily,  and  declared  that 
he  would  rigorously  follow  out  this  advice.  He  did 
so.  His  success  was  wonderful ;  a  much  larger  sum 
was  raised  than  he  had  anticipated,  and  soon  a  ca 
pacious  and  beautiful  Meeting  House  rose  in  Arch 
street. 

The  streets  of  Philadelphia,  though  laid  out  with 
great  regularity,  were  unpaved,  and  in  wet  weather 
were  almost  impassable  quagmires.  Franklin,  by 
talking  with  his  friends,  and  by  urging  the  subject 
in  his  paper,  at  length  succeeded  in  having  a  side 
walk  paved  with  stone,  upon  one  of  the  most  impor 
tant  streets.  It  gave  great  satisfaction,  but  the  rest 
of  the  street  not  being  paved,  the  mud  was  thrown 
by  passing  carriages  upon  it,  and  as  the  city  em 
ployed  no  street  cleaners,  the  sidewalk  soon  ceased 
to  afford  a  clean  passage  to  pedestrians. 


THE  TRADESMAN  A  PHILOSOPHER.  151 

Franklin  found  an  industrious  man  who  was  will 
ing  to  sweep  the  pavement  twice  a  week,  carrying 
off  the  dirt  from  before  all  the  doors,  for  the  sum  of 
sixpence  a  month,  to  be  paid  by  each  house. 

The  philosophic  Franklin  then,  having  started 
this  enterprise,  printed  on  a  sheet  of  paper  the  great 
advantages  of  keeping  the  side-walk  clean,  and  sent 
one  of  these  papers  to  each  house.  He  urged  that 
much  of  the  soiling  of  the  interior  of  the  houses 
would  thus  be  avoided,  that  an  attractive  side-walk 
would  lure  passengers  to  the  shops  ;  and  that,  in 
windy  weather,  their  goods  would  be  preserved  from 
the  dust. 

After  a  few  days  he  called,  in  person,  at  each 
house  and  shop  to  see  who  would  subscribe  sixpence 
a  month.  It  was  a  great  success.  The  cleanliness 
of  the  pavement  in  the  important  streets  surrounding 
the  market,  greatly  delighted  the  people,  and  pre 
pared  the  way  for  carrying  a  bill  which  Franklin- 
presented  to  the  Assembly  for  paving  and  lighting 
all  the  important  streets  of  the  city. 

A  gentleman,  by  the  name  of  John  Clifton,  had 
placed  a  lamp  before  his  door.  This  suggested  the 
idea.  Lamps  were  sent  for  from  London.  Globes 
were  furnished.  They  were  expensive.  The  smoke 
circulated  in  the  globe  and  obstructed  the  light. 
They  had  to  be  wiped  clean  each  day.  An  acciden- 


1 52  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

tal  stroke  demolished  the  whole  globe.  Franklin 
suggested  four  flat  panes.  One  might  be  broken, 
and  easily  replaced.  Crevices  were  left  below  to  ad 
mit  a  current  of  air,  and-  a  funnel  to  draw  off  the 
smoke.  Thus  for  a  long  time  the  glass  remained 
undimmed. 

Wherever  Franklin  went,  he  carried  with  him 
this  spirit  of  improvement.  When  in  London,  he 
found  the  streets  wretchedly  dirty.  One  morning 
he  found  a  poor  woman  at  his  door  in  Craven  street, 
sweeping  the  sidewalk  with  a  wretched  broom.  Her 
pallid  and  exhausted  appearance  touched  the  sympa 
thies  of  Franklin.  He  asked  who  employed  her. 
She  replied  : 

"  Nobody.  I  am  poor  and  in  distress.  I  sweeps 
before  gentlefolks's  doors,  and  hopes  they  will  give 
me  something." 

Franklin  immediately  engaged  her  to  sweep  the 
whole  street.  It  was  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning.' 
She  was  so  languid  and  debilitated  that  he  thought 
it  would  take  her  nearly  all  day.  But  in  three 
hours  she  came  for  her  shilling.  Franklin  thought 
she  could  not  have  done  her  work  faithfully.  He 
sent  his  servant  to  examine.  He  reported  that  the 
work  was  thoroughly  done.  A  new  problem  rose 
before  Franklin  :  If  this  feeble  woman  could  in  so 
short  a  time  sweep  such  a  street,  a  strong  man,  with 


THE  TRADESMAN  A  PHILOSOPHER.  153 

a  suitable  broom,  could  certainly  do  it  in  half  of 
the  time.  He  therefore  drew  up  a  plan  for  cleaning 
the  streets  of  London  and  Westminster,  which  was 
placed  in  the  hands  of  one  of  the  most  influential  of 
the  public-spirited  men  of  London. 

Franklin  apologizes  for  speaking  in  his  autobiog 
raphy  of  such  trifles.  Very  truly,  he  says, 

"  Human  felicity  is  produced  not  so  much  by 
great  pieces  of  good  fortune  that  seldom  happen,  as 
by  little  advantages  that  occur  every  day.  Thus  if 
you  teach  a  poor  young  man  to  shave  himself  and 
keep  his  razor  in  order,  you  may  contribute  more 
to  the  happiness  of  his  life  than  in  giving  him  a 
thousand  guineas.  This  sum  may  be  soon  spent, 
the  regret  only  remaining  of  having  foolishly  con 
sumed  it.  But  in  the  other  case,  he  escapes  the 
frequent  vexation  of  waiting  for  barbers,  and  of 
their  sometimes  dirty  fingers,  offensive  breath,  and 
dull  razors.  He  shaves  when  most  convenient  to 
him,  and  enjoys  daily  the  pleasure  of  its  being  done 
with  a  good  instrument." 

Nearly  all  the  important  offices  in  the  colonies 
were  filled  by  appointments  from  the  British  Crown. 
For  some  time,  Franklin  had  been  employed  as  an 
assistant  to  the  Postmaster  General,  in  simplifying 
and  bringing  regularity  into  his  accounts.  Upon 
the  death  of  the  American  Postmaster,  Franklin,  in 


154  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

1753,  was  appointed  jointly  with  Sir  William  Hunt 
er  to  succeed  him.  The  appointment  was  made 
by  the  Postmaster  General  in  England. 

The  post-office  department  had  scarcely  been 
self-supporting.  It  had  never  paid  anything  to  the 
crown.  The  salary  offered  to  the  two  postmasters 
was  three  thousand  dollars  a  year  each,  if  they 
could  save  that  sum  from  the  profits  of  the  office. 
Franklin  writes, 

"  To  do  this  a  variety  of  improvements  was  ne 
cessary.  Some  of  these  were  inevitably,  at  first, 
expensive  ;  so  that  in  the  first  four  years,  the  office 
became  above  nine  hundred  pounds  in  debt  to  us. 
But  it  soon  after  began  to  repay  us.  And  before  I 
was  displaced  by  a  freak  of  the  ministers,  of  which  I 
shall  hereafter  speak,  we  had  brought  it  to  yield 
three  times  as  much  clear  revenue  to  the  crown  as 
the  post-office  of  Ireland.  Since  that  imprudent 
transaction,  they  have  received  from  it  not  one 
farthing." 

Again  there  were  menaces  of  war,  insane  and  de 
moniac,  to  fill  the  world  with  tears  and  woe.  As  we 
read  the  record  of  these  horrid  outrages  which 
through  all  the  centuries  have  desolated  this  globe, 
it  would  seem  that  there  must  be  a  vein  of  insanity 
as  well  as  of  depravity,  in  the  heart  of  fallen  man. 
England  and  France  were  again  marshaling  their 


THE  TRADESMAN  A  PHILOSOPHER.  1 55 

armies,  and  accumulating  their  fleets,  for  the  terrible 
conflict. 

It  was  certain  that  France,  in  Canada,  and  Eng 
land,  in  her  colonies,  could  not  live  in  peace  here, 
while  the  volcanic  throes  of  war  were  shaking  the 
island  of  Great  Britain,  and  the  Continent  of  Europe. 

In  the  heart  of  New  York,  then  almost  an  un 
broken  wilderness,  there  were  six  exceedingly  fierce 
and  war-like  tribes  called  the  Six  Nations.  Like  the 
wolves  they  delighted  in  war.  The  greatness  of  a 
man  depended  on  the  number  of  scalps  with  which 
he  could  fringe  his  dress.  These  savage  warriors 
were  ready  and  eager  to  engage  as  the  allies  of  those 
who  would  pay  them  the  highest  price.  Mercy  was 
an  attribute  of  which  they  knew  not  even  the  name. 

It  was  not  doubted  that  France  would  immedi 
ately  send  her  emissaries  from  Canada  to  enlist 
these  savages  on  her  side.  Awful  would  be  the  woes 
with  which  these  demoniac  men  could  sweep  our 
defenceless  frontiers  ;  with  the  tomahawk  and  the 
scalping  knife,  exterminating  families,  burning  villa 
ges,  and  loading  their  pack-horses  with  plunder.  To 
forestall  the  French,  and  to  turn  these  woes  from 
our  own  frontier  to  the  humble  homes  of  the  Cana 
dian  emigrants,  the  English  government  appointed 
a  commissioner  to  visit  the  chiefs  of  these  tribes  in 
the  year  1754. 


1 56  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

The  all  important  council  was  to  be  held  in  Al 
bany.  Governor  Hamilton  appointed  four  commis 
sioners,  of  whom  Franklin  was  one,  to  act  in  behalf 
of  Pennsylvania.  They  were  furnished  with  rich 
gifts  with  which  to  purchase  the  favor  of  the  Indians. 
It  was  a  long  and  tedious  journey  from  Philadelphia 
to  Albany. 

Franklin,  on  this  journey,  was  deeply  impressed 
with  the  importance  of  a  union  of  the  colonies  for 
self-defence.  He  therefore  drew  up  a  plan  for  such 
union.  Several  gentlemen  of  the  highest  intelligence 
in  New  York,  having  examined  it,  gave  it  their  cor 
dial  approval.  He  accordingly  laid  it  before  Con 
gress. 

There  were  several  other  persons  in  other  col 
onies  who  were  impressed  as  deeply  as  Franklin 
with  a  sense  of  the  importance  of  such  a  confederacy, 
and  they  also  sent  in  their  suggestions. 

Congress  appointed  a  committee  of  one  from 
each  province,  to  consider  the  several  plans.  The 
committee  approved  of  Franklin's  plan,  and  reported 
accordingly.  While  the  commissioners  were  confer 
ring  with  the  Indians  in  Albany,  Congress  was  en 
gaged  in  discussing  the  plans  of  a  confederacy. 
Franklin's  plan  was  finally  rejected.  It  did  not 
meet  the  views  either  of  the  Assembly,  or  of  the 
British  Court,  And  here  we  see,  perhaps  the  germs 


THE   TRADESMAN  A  PHILOSOPHER.  157 

of  the  great  conflict  which  soon  culminated  in  the 
cruel  war  of  the  Revolution. 

The  Assembly  objected  to  the  plan  as  too  aristo 
cratic,  conferring  too  much  power  upon  the  crown. 
The  court  emphatically  rejected  it  as  too  democrat 
ic,  investing  the  people  with  too  much  power. 
Franklin  ever  affirmed  that  his  plan  was  the  true 
medium.  Even  the  royalist  governor  of  Pennsylva 
nia  warmly  commended  the  compromise  he  urged. 

In  visiting  Boston  he  was  shown  an  electric 
tube,  recently  sent  from  England.  With  this  tube 
some  very  surprising  electrical  experiments  were 
performed,  ushering  in  a  new  science,  of  which  then 
but  very  little  was  known.  Franklin  became  in 
tensely  interested  in  the  subject.  Upon  his  return 
to  Philadelphia,  he  devoted  himself,  with  great 
assiduity,  to  experimenting  with  electric  tubes.  At 
this  time  he  wrote  to  a  friend, 

"  I  never  was  before  engaged  in  any  study  that 
so  totally  engrossed  my  attention  and  my  time,  as 
this  has  lately  done  ;  for  what  with  making  experi 
ments  when  I  can  be  alone,  and  repeating  them  to 
my  friends  and  acquaintances,  who,  from  the  novelty 
of  the  thing,  come  continually  in  crowds  to  see 
them,  I  have  little  leisure  for  anything  else." 

This  was  during  the  winter  of  1/46-7.  Franklin 
suggested  that  the  electricity  was  collected,  not 


158  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

created  by  friction.  He  also  propounded  the  theory 
of  positive  and  negative  electricity.  He  was,  at  this 
time,  comparatively  a  wealthy  man,  and  conse 
quently  could  afford  to  devote  his  time  to  philo 
sophical  investigation.  It  is  estimated  that  his 
income,  from  his  estates,  amounted  to  about  seven 
hundred  pounds  a  year;  this  was  equal  to  about 
six  or  seven  thousand  dollars  at  the  present  time. 
Mr.  Parton  writes, 

"  Besides  this  independence,  Franklin  was  the 
holder  of  two  offices,  worth  together  perhaps  one 
hundred  and  fifty  pounds  a  year.  His  business,  then 
more  flourishing  than  ever,  produced  an  annual 
profit,  as  before  computed,  of  two  thousand  pounds  ; 
bringing  up  his  income  to  the  troublesome  and 
absurd  amount  of  nearly  three  thousand  pounds  ; 
three  times  the  revenue  of  a  colonial  governor." 

Under  these  prosperous  circumstances,  Franklin 
withdrew  from  active  business,  became  a  silent  part 
ner  in  the  firm,  and  devoted  nearly  all  his  time  to 
the  new  science.  He  wrote,  in  the  autumn  of  1748, 
to  his  friend  Cadwallader  Golden  of  New  York, 

"  I  have  removed  to  a  more  quiet  part  of  the 
town,  where  I  am  settling  my  old  accounts,  and 
hope  soon  to  be  quite  master  of  my  own  time,  and 
no  longer,  as  the  song  has  it,  "  at  every  one's  call 
but  my  own." 


THE  TRADESMAN  A  PHILOSOPHER.  159 

"  Thus  you  see  I  am  in  a  fair  way  of  having  no 
other  tasks  than  such  as  I  shall  like  to  give  myself, 
and  of  enjoying  what  I  look  upon  as  a  great  happi 
ness,  leisure  to  read,  study,  make  experiments,  and 
converse  at  large  with  such  ingenious  and  worthy 
men,  as  are  pleased  to  honor  me  with  their  friend 
ship  or  acquaintance,  on  such  points  as  may  produce 
something  for  the  common  benefit  of  mankind,  unin 
terrupted  by  the  cares  and  fatigues  of  business." 

He  wrote  a  treatise  upon  thundergusts,  which 
displayed  wonderful  sagacity,  and  which  arrested 
the  attention  of  nearly  all  the  philosophers  in  Eu 
rope  and  America.  The  all-important  topics  of  this 
exceedingly  important  document,  were  the  power 
of  points  to  draw  off  electricity,  and  also  the  simi 
larity  of  electricity  and  lightning.  He  therefore 
urged  that  metallic  rods  might  be  attached  to 
buildings  and  ships,  which,  pushing  their  needle 
points  above  roofs  and  masts,  might  draw  the  elec 
tric  fire  harmlessly  from  the  clouds.  He  confesses 
that  he  cannot  imagine  why  the  points  should  pos 
sess  this  curious  power,  but  urges  that  facts  seem 
to  demonstrate  it. 

One  day,  for  the  entertainment  of  his  friends,  he 
had  made  arrangements  to  kill  a  turkey  with  an  elec 
tric  shock.  Two  large  jars  were  heavily  charged. 
Incautiously  manipulating,  he  took  the  shock  him- 


l6o  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

self.  In  the  following  language,  he  describes  the 
effect : 

"  The  flash  was  very  great,  and  the  crack  was  as 
loud  as  a  pistol ;  yet  my  senses  being  instantly 
gone,  I  neither  saw  the  one  nor  heard  the  other; 
nor  did  I  feel  the  stroke  on  my  hand,  though  I 
afterwards  found  it  raised  a  round  swelling  where 
the  fire  entered,  as  big  as  half  a  pistol  bullet. 

"  I  then  felt  what  I  know  not  well  how  to  de 
scribe,  a  universal  blow  throughout  my  whole  body 
from  head  to  foot,  which  seemed  within  as  well  as 
without  ;  after  which  the  first  thing  I  took  notice  of 
was  a  violent,  quick  shaking  of  my  body,  which 
gradually  remitting,  my  sense  as  gradually  returned, 
and  then,  I  thought  the  bottle  must  be  discharged, 
but  could  not  conceive  how,  till  at  last  I  perceived 
the  chain  in  my  hand,  and  recollected  what  I  had 
been  about  to  do. 

"  That  part  of  my  hand  and  fingers  which  held 
the  chain,  was  left  white  as  though  the  blood  had 
been  driven  out ;  and  remained  so  eight  or  ten 
minutes  after,  feeling  like  dead  flesh ;  and  I  had 
numbness  in  my  arms  and  the  back  of  my  neck 
which  continued  to  the  next  morning,  but  wore  off." 

Franklin  was  much  mortified  at  his  awkwardness 
in  this  experiment.  He  declared  it  to  be  a  notori 
ous  blunder,  and  compared  it  with  the  folly  of  the 


THE  TRADESMAN  A   PHILOSOPHER.  l6l 

Irishman,  who  wishing  to  steal  some  gun-powder, 
bored  a  hole  through  the  cask  with  red  hot  iron. 
But  notwithstanding  this  warning,  not  long  after 
wards,  in  endeavoring  to  give  a  shock  to  a  paralytic 
patient,  he  received  the  whole  charge  himself,  and 
was  knocked  flat  and  senseless  on  the  floor. 

In  the  spring  of  1752,  Franklin  tried  his  world 
renowned  experiment  with  the  kite.  A  June  thun 
der  cloud  was  rising  in  all  its  majesty.  Franklin, 
accompanied  by  his  son,  repaired  to  a  field  secretly, 
being  afraid  of  the  ridicule  of  the  people.  Here  he 
raised  the  kite,  made  of  a  large  silk  handkerchief. 
The  top  of  the  perpendicular  stick  was  pointed  with 
a  sharp  metallic  rod.  The  string  was  hemp  with 
the  exception  of  the  part  held  in  the  hand,  which 
was  silk ;  at  the  end  of  the'  hempen  string  a  common 
key  was  suspended.  With  intense  anxiety  and  no 
slight  apprehension  of  danger,  he  held  the  line. 
Soon  he  observed  the  fibres  of  the  hempen  string  to 
rise  and  separate  themselves,  as  was  the  case  of  the 
hair  on  the  head,  when  any  one.was  placed  on  an 
insulating  stool.  He  applied  his  knuckle  to  the  key, 
and  received  an  unmistakable  spark.  As  the  story 
is  generally  told,  with  occasionally  slight  contradic 
tions,  he  applied  his  knuckle  again  and  again  to  the 
key  with  a  similar  result.  He  charged  a  Leyden 
jar  with  the  fluid  and  both  he  and  his  son  took  a 


1 62  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

shock.  He  then  drew  in  his  kite,  packed  up  his  ap 
paratus  and  returned  to  his  laboratory  probably  the 
most  exultant  and  happy  man  in  this  wide  world. 

Most  of  the  English  and  many  of  the  French 
philosophers  were  very  unwilling  to  believe  that  an 
obscure  American,  in  what  they  deemed  the  savage 
and  uncultivated  wilds  of  the  New  World,  was  out 
stripping  them  in  philosophical  research.  They 
were  unwilling  to  acknowledge  the  reality  of  his  ex 
periments  ;  but  in  France,  where  an  American  would 
receive  more  impartial  treatment,  three  of  the  most 
eminent  philosophers,  Count  de  Buffon,  M.  Dalibard 
and  M.  de  Lor,  at  different  places,  raised  the  appara 
tus  Franklin  had  recommended  to  draw  electricity 
from  the  clouds.  Their  success  was  unmistakable  ; 
the  results  of  these  experiments  were  proclaimed 
throughout  Europe. 

Franklin  had  now  obtained  renown.  No  one 
could  deny  that  he  merited  a  high  position  among 
the  most  eminent  philosophers.  The  experiments 
he  had  suggested  were  tried  by  scientists  in  the  phil 
osophical  circles  of  every  country  in  Europe. 

Both  Yale  and  Harvard,  in  this  country,  conferred 
upon  him  the  honorary  degree  of  Master  of  Arts, 
and  the  Royal  Society,  in  Europe,  by  a  unanimous 
vote,  elected  him  a  member,  remitting  the  usual  in 
itiation  fee  of  five  guineas,  and  the  annual  charge  of 


THE  TRADESMAN  A  PHILOSOPHER.  163 

two  and  a  half  guineas.  The  next. year  this  Society 
conferred  upon  him  the  Copley  medal. 

For  seven  years  Franklin  continued  to  devote 
himself  almost  exclusively  to  this  science,  and  he 
became,  without  doubt,  the  most  accomplished  elec 
trician  in  the  world.  At  the  same  time  his  mind 
was  ever  active  in  devising  new  schemes  for  the 
welfare  of  humanity.  The  most  trivial  events  would 
often  suggest  to  him  measures  conducive  to  the 
most  beneficial  results.  It  is  said  that  Franklin  saw 
one  day  in  a  ditch  the  fragments  of  a  basket  of  yel 
low  willow,  in  which  some  foreign  commodity  had 
been  imported  to  this  country.  One  of  the  twigs 
had  sprouted.  He  planted  it  ;  and  it  became  the 
parent  of  all  the  yellow  willows  in  our  country. 

Franklin  was  best  loved  where  he  was  best 
known.  And  this  was  right  ;  for  he  was  ever  con 
ferring  deeds  of  kindness  upon  his  neighbors.  His 
religious  views  excited  sorrow  among  his  Christian 
friends.  Others,  composing  perhaps  a  majority, 
cared  nothing  about  what  he  believed.  In  conver 
sation  he  ever  frankly  avowed  himself  a  deist,  though 
generally  he  made  no  attempt  to  convert  others  to 
his  views.  It  is  not  improbable  that  he  was  in  some 
degree  influenced  by  the  beneficial  effect  produced 
upon  the  popular  mind  by  the  preaching  of  his  friend 
Mr.  Whitefield. 


1 64  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

The  writer  was  once,  in  Paris,  conversing  with  one 
of  the  most  illustrious  of  the  French  philosophers. 
He  said  to  the  philosopher,  "  I  am  much  interested 
to  ascertain  the  views  of  gentlemen  of  your  intel 
lectual  position  respecting  the  Christian  religion/' 
•He  with  perfect  frankness  replied,  "  I  think  that 
there  are  no  men  of  high  culture  in  France,  with  a 
few  exceptions,  who  believe  in  the  divine  origin  of 
Christianity.  But  there  is  no  philanthropist  who 
will  say  so.  We  have  been  taught,  by  the  horrors 
of  the  French  Revolution,  that  the  masses  of  the 
people  can  only  be  restrained  from  violence  by  the 
superstitious  restraints  which  Christianity  presents. 
We  therefore  think  that  every  man,  who  is  a  gentle 
man,  will  do  what  he  can  to  sustain  the  church  and 
the  clergy.  Men  of  culture  and  refinement,  are 
governed  by  principles  of  honor,  and  they  do  not 
need  the  superstitious  motives  of  Christianity  to  in 
fluence  them." 

I  may  remark,  in  passing,  that  this  gentlemanly 
philosopher  had  abandoned  his  own  wife,  and  was 
then  living  with  the  wife  of  another  man.  It  is  not 
improbable  that  Franklin,  as  he  looked  upon  the 
tumultuous  and  passion-tossed  young  men  of  Phila 
delphia,  did  not  deem  it  expedient  to  say  to  them, 

"  The  Bible  is  a  fable.  The  Sabbath  is  no  more 
sacred  than  any  other  day.  The  church  is  merely  a 


THE  TRADESMAN  A  PHILOSOPHER.  165 

human  club  without  any  divine  authority.  Marriage 
is  an  institution  which  is  not  founded  upon  any  de 
cree  which  God  has  issued,  but  one  of  the  expediency 
of  which  each  individual  must  judge  for  himself. 
The  Sacraments  of  Baptism,  and  the  Lord's  Supper, 
are  mere  human  contrivances.  The  preaching  of 
the  Gospel  had  better  be  laid  aside  for  literary  and 
scientific  disquisitions." 

With  the  eye  of  a  benevolent  philosopher,  Frank 
lin,  as  we  have  seen,  had  watched  the  effect  of  the 
preaching  of  Mr.  Whitefield,  and  had  candidly  ac 
knowledged  its  power  in  reforming  society.  It  is 
improbable  that,  in  his  heart,  he  felt  that  the  preach 
ing  of  pure  deism  could  ever  secure  such  results.  In 
1753  he  wrote  to  Mr.  Whitefield,  in  reply  to  a  com 
munication  from  him  upon  the  Christian  faith  : 

"  The  faith  you  mention  certainly  has  its  use  in 
the  world.  I  do  not  desire  to  see  it  diminished,  nor 
would  I  endeavor  to  lessen  it  in  any  man." 

Franklin  had  resolved  to  decline  all  office,  that 
he  might  devote  himself  to  his  studies.  But  his  rep 
utation  for  wisdom  was  such,  that  he  found  it  very 
difficult  to  persevere  in  this  plan.  Menaces  of  war 
were  continually  arising.  The  majority  of  the  mem 
bers,  in  the  Assembly,  were  Quakers.  It  was  a  small 
body  consisting  of  but  forty  delegates.  The  Qua 
kers  opposed  every  measure  for  public  defence. 


1 66  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

Franklin,  as  we  have  mentioned,  became  a  Justice 
of  the  Peace.  Soon  after  he  was  an  Alderman,  and 
then  he  took  his  seat  in  the  General  Assembly. 

"  I  was  a  bad  speaker,"  he  writes,  "  never  elo 
quent  ;  subject  to  much  hesitation  in  the  choice  of 
words  ;  and  yet  I  generally  carried  my  point." 

He  adds,  in  language  which  every  young  man 
should  treasure  up  in  his  memory,  "  I  retained  the 
habit  of  expressing  myself  in  terms  of  modest  diffi 
dence  ;  never  using,  when  I  advanced  anything  that 
might  possibly  be  disputed,  the  words,  certainly, 
undoubtedly,  or  any  others  that  give  the  air  of  posi- 
tiveness  to  an  opinion  ;  but  rather,  I  conceive,  or 
apprehend  a  thing  to  be  so  and  so.  //  appears  to 
me,  or,  I  should  not  think  it  so  for  such  and  such  rea 
sons,  or,  /  imagine  it  to  be  so,  or,  It  is  so  if  I  am  not 
mistaken.  This  habit,  I  believe,  has  been  of  great 
advantage  to  me  when  I  have  had  occasion  to  incul 
cate  my  opinions  ;  and  to  persuade  men  into  meas 
ures  that  I  have  been  from  time  to  time  proposing." 

When  Franklin  assumed  the  charge  of  the  post- 
office,  the  department  was  in  a  feeble  and  peculiar 
condition.  As  late  as  the  year  1757,  the  mail-bag  in 
Virginia  was  passed  from  planter  to  planter.  Each 
one  was  required  to  forward  it  promptly,  under 
the  penalty  of  forfeiting  a  hogshead  of  tobacco. 
Every  man  took,  from  the  bag,  what  belonged  to 


THE  TRADESMAN  A  PHILOSOPHER.  l6/ 

his  family,  and  sent  on  the  rest.  The  line  of  post- 
offices  then  extended  from  Boston,  Mass.,  to  Charles 
ton,  S.  C.  It  was  twenty  years  after  this,  before 
any  governmental  mail  penetrated  the  interior. 

In  the  year  1753,  Franklin  visited  every  post- 
office  excepting  that  of  Charleston.  His  wisdom 
introduced  reforms,  some  of  which  have  continued 
to  the  present  day.  A  newspaper  was  charged  nine 
pence  a  year,  for  a  distance  of  fifty  miles,  and  eigh 
teen  pence  for  one  hundred  miles  or  more.  In  the 
large  towns  a  penny  post  was  established,  and  all 
letters  left  remaining  in  the  office  were  advertised. 

A  mail  was  conveyed  from  Philadelphia  to  New 
York  once  a  week  in  summer,  and  once  in  two  weeks 
in  winter.  Franklin  started  a  mail  to  leave  each  of 
these  cities  three  times  a  week  in  summer,  and  twice 
in  winter.  It  generally  required  six  weeks  to  obtain 
an  answer  from  a  letter  sent  to  Boston.  Most  of 
the  roads,  into  the  interior,  consisted  of  narrow  pas 
sages,  cut  through  the  forest,  called  Bridle  Paths, 
because  the  pack  horses  were  led  through  them,  in 
single  file  by  the  bridle. 


CHAPTER   VIII. 

The  Rising  Storms  of  War. 

Aristocracy — Anecdote  —  Conflicting  laws  of  Nations  —  Franklin's 
scheme  of  colonization — Proposal  of  the  British  Court — The 
foresight  of  Franklin — Braddock's  campaign — Rembnstrances  of 
Franklin  and  Washington — Franklin's  interviews  with  Braddock 
— Franklin's  efficiency — Confidence  of  Braddock — The  conflict 
with  the  Proprietaries — The  non-resistant  Quakers — Fate  of 
the  Moravian  villages — The  winter  campaign — The  camp  of 
Gaudenhutton — Anecdote — Renewal  of  the  strife  with  the  Pro 
prietaries—Franklin  recalled  to  assist  the  Assembly — Destruc 
tion  of  the  Fort — Claim  of  the  Proprietaries — The  great  con 
troversy. 

WITH  increasing  wealth  the  spirit  of  aristo 
cratic  exclusiveness  gained  strength  in  the  higher 
circles  of  Philadelphia.  Some  of  the  more  opulent 
families  planned  for  a  series  of  dancing  entertain 
ments  during  the  winter.  It  was  proposed  among 
other  rules  that  no  mechanic,  or  mechanic's  wife  or 
daughter,  should  be  invited.  The  rules  were  shown 
to  Franklin.  He  glanced  his  eye  over  them  and 
pithily  remarked, 

"  Why  these  rules  would  exclude  God  Al 
mighty  !  " 

"  How  so  ?  "  inquired  the  manager. 


THE   RISING   STORMS   OF  WAR.  169 

"  Because,"  Franklin  replied,  "  the  Almighty,  as 
all  know,  is  the  greatest  mechanic  in  the  universe. 
In  six  days  he  made  all  things."  The  obnoxious 
article  was  stricken  out. 

The  following  incident,  narrated  by  Franklin, 
illustrates  a  very  important  principle  in  political 
economy,  which  those  are  apt  to  ignore,  who  de 
nounce  all  the  elegancies  and  luxuries  of  life. 

Mrs.  Franklin  received  some  small  favor  from 
the  captain  of  a  little  coaster,  which  ran  between 
Cape  May  and  Philadelphia.  He  declined  to  re 
ceive  any  remuneration  for  his  trifling  services. 
Mrs.  Franklin,  learning  that  he  had  a  pretty  daugh 
ter,  sent  her  a  new-fashioned  Philadelphia  cap  or 
bonnet.  Three  years  after,  the  captain  called  again 
at  the  house  of  Mr.  Franklin.  A  very  plain  but 
intelligent  farmer  accompanied  him.  The  captain 
expressed  his  thanks  to  Mrs.  Franklin  for  the  gift 
she  had  sent  his  daughter,  and  rather  discourteously 
added, 

"  But  it  proved  a  dear  cap  to  our  congregation. 
When  my  daughter  appeared  with  it  at  meeting,  it 
was  so  much  admired  that  all  the  girls  resolved  to 
get  such  caps  from  Philadelphia.  And  my  wife  and 
I  computed  that  the  whole  could  not  have  cost  less 
than  a  hundred  pounds." 

The  farmer,  with  far   higher   intelligence,  said, 


I/O  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

"  This  is  true  ;  but  you  do  not  tell  the  whole  story. 
I  think  the  cap  was  nevertheless  an  advantage  to  us. 
It  was  the  first  thing  that  put  our  girls  upon  knit 
ting  worsted  mittens,  for  sale  at  Philadelphia,  that 
they  might  have  wherewithal  to  buy  caps  and  rib 
bons  there.  And  you  know  that  that  industry  has 
continued  and  is  likely  to  continue  and  increase,  to 
a  much  greater  value,  and  answer  better  purposes." 

"  Thus  by  a  profitable  exchange,  the  industrious 
girls  at  Cape  May  had  pretty  bonnets,  and  the  girls 
at  Philadelphia  had  warm  mittens." 

For  seventy-five  years  it  had  been  the  constant 
design  of  the  British  government  to  drive  the 
French  from  North  America.  England  claimed  the 
whole  country,  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific, 
because  her  ships  had  first  sailed  along  the  Atlantic 
coast.  It  was  one  of  the  recognized  laws  of  nations 
that  a  newly  discovered  region  belonged  to  the  na 
tion  who  had  first  raised  upon  it  its  flag. 

France,  admitting  the  claim  of  England  to  the 
Atlantic  coast,  asserted  her  right  to  the  great  val 
leys  of  the  interior,  those  of  the  Ohio  and  the  Mis 
sissippi,  because  her  boatmen  had  first  discovered 
those  magnificent  rivers,  had  explored  them 
throughout,  and  had  established  upon  them  her 
trading  and  military  posts.  It  was  a  recognized  law 
of  nations,  that  the  power  which  discovered,  ex- 


THE   RISING   STORMS   OF  WAR.  I/I 

plored,  and  took  possession  of  a  new  river,  was  the 
rightful  possessor  of  the  valley  which  that  river 
watered.  Thus  the  conflict  of  claims  originated. 

To  add  to  the  intensity  of  the  insane  strife,  which 
caused  an  amount  of  blood  and  misery  which  no 
tongue  can  tell,  religious  bitterness  was  aroused,  and 
the  French  Roman  Catholic  was  arrayed  against  the 
British  Protestant. 

Three  wars,  bloody  and  woful,  had  already  rav 
aged  this  continent.  We  have  before  alluded  to 
the  menace  of  a  new  war  in  the  year  1754,  and  to 
Franklin's  mission  to  Albany  to  enlist  the  chiefs  of 
the  Six  Nations  to  become  allies  of  the  English. 
We  have  also  alluded  to  the  plan,  which  Franklin 
drew  up  on  this  journey,  for  the  union  of  the  colo 
nies,  and  which  was  rejected.  The  wisdom  of  this 
plan  was,  however,  subsequently  developed  by  the 
fact  that  it  was  remarkably  like  that  by  which  event 
ually  the  colonies  were  bound  together  as  a  nation. 

Assuming  that  the  English  were  right  in  their 
claim  for  the  whole  continent,  Franklin  urged  the 
eminently  wise  measure  of  establishing  strong  colo 
nies,  in  villages  of  a  hundred  families  each,  on  the 
luxuriant  banks  of  the  western  rivers.  But  the 
haughty  British  government  would  receive  no  in 
structions  from  American  provincials. 

Governor  Shirley,  of  Boston,  showed  Mr.  Frank- 


1/2  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

lin  a  plan,  drawn  up  in  England,  for  conducting 
the  war.  It  developed  consummate  ignorance 
of  the  difficulties  of  carrying  on  war  in  the  pathless 
wilderness ;  and  also  a  great  disregard  of  the  politi 
cal  rights  of  the  American  citizens.  According  to 
this  document,  the  British  court  was  to  originate 
and  execute  all  the  measures  for  the  conduct  of  the 
war  ;  and  the  British  Parliament  was  to  assess  what 
ever  tax  it  deemed  expedient  upon  the  American 
people  to  defray  the  expenses.  The  Americans 
were  to  have  no  representation  in  Parliament,  and 
no  voice  whatever  in  deciding  upon  the  sum  which 
they  were  to  pay. 

Franklin  examined  the  document  carefully,  and 
returned  it  with  his  written  objections.  In  this 
remarkable  paper,  he  anticipated  the  arguments 
which  our  most  distinguished  statesmen  and  logi 
cians  urged  against  the  Stamp  Act — against  Taxa 
tion  without  Representation.  A  brief  extract  from 
this  important  paper,  will  give  the  reader  some  idea 
of  its  character : 

"  The  colonists  are  Englishmen.  The  accident 
of  living  in  a  colony  deprives  them  of  no  right  se 
cured  by  Magna  Charta.  The  people  in  the  colo 
nies,  who  are  to  feel  the  immediate  mischiefs  of 
invasion  and  conquest  by  an  enemy,  in  the  loss  of 
their  estates,  lives  and  liberties,  are  likely  to  be  bet- 


THE   RISING   STORMS   OF  WAR.  173 

ter  judges  of  the  quantity  of  forces  necessary  to  be 
raised  and  maintained,  and  supported,  and  of  their 
own  ability  to  bear  the  expense,  than  the  Parlia 
ment  of  England,  at  so  great  a  distance.  Compel 
ling  the  colonists  to  pay  money  without  their  con 
sent,  would  be  rather  like  raising  contributions  in 
an  enemy's  country,  than  taxing  of  Englishmen  for 
their  own  public  benefit.  It  would-be  treating  them 
as  a  conquered  people,  and  not  as  true  British 
subjects." 

At  length  the  brave,  but  self-conceited  and 
haughty  General  Braddock  came  with  his  army  of 
British  Regulars.  Frenchmen,  Indians,  and  Ameri 
cans,  he  alike  regarded  with  contempt.  His  troops 
were  rendezvoused  at  Fredericktown,  in  Maryland. 
A  bridle  path  led  through  the  wilderness  to  this 
place,  from  Philadelphia,  a  distance  of  a  hundred 
and  twenty  miles. 

Intelligent  American  gentlemen  were  much 
alarmed,  by  the  reckless  and  perilous  measures  which 
the  ignorant  British  general  declared  his  intention 
to  pursue.  He  became  very  angry  with  Pennsylva- 
nians,  because  they  were  so  unwilling  to  fall  in  with 
his  plans.  It  was  said  that,  in  his  anger,  he  mani 
fested  more  desire  to  ravage  Pennsylvania  than  to 
defeat  the  French. 

The  Assembly  at  Philadelphia  appointed  a  com- 


1/4  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

mission,  consisting  of  Benjamin  Franklin  and  his  son, 
a  resolute,  insubordinate  man  of  thirty  years,  and  of 
the  Governors  of  New  York  and  Massachusetts,  to 
visit  the  arrogant  British  officer,  and  to  endeavor,  in 
some  way,  to  influence  him  to  wiser  measures.  It 
was  the  middle  of  April,  a  beautiful  season  in  that 
climate,  of  swelling  buds,  and  opening  leaves. 

Each  of  the  four  gentlemen  was  attended  by  ser 
vants,  as  was  customary  in  those  days.  They  were 
all  finely  mounted.  Joyfully  they  rode  along,  seek 
ing  entertainment  each  night  at  the  residence  of 
some  planter.  A  courier  was  always  sent  forward 
to  announce  their  coming,  and  the  planter,  accom 
panied  by  one  or  two  of  his  servants,  would  gene 
rally  ride  forward  a  few  miles  to  meet  them,  and 
escort  them  to  his  hospitable  home. 

Franklin  was  received  by  Gen.  Braddock  with 
the  condescension  with  which,  in  that  day,  English 
gentlemen  were  ever  accustomed  to  regard  Amer 
icans  of  whatever  name  or  note.  The  little  army, 
which  was  to  march  upon  Fort  Duquesne,  was  to 
traverse  the  dreary  and  pathless  ridges  and  ravines  of 
the  Alleghany  mountains,  and  force  their  way  through 
a  tangled  wilderness,  for  a  distance  of  several  hundred 
miles.  During  all  this  march  they  were  hourly  ex 
posed  to  be  attacked  by  an  overpowering  force  of 
French  and  Indians.  The  French  could  easily  de- 


THE   RISING  STORMS   OF  WAR.  175 

scend  to  the  Ohio,  in  their  boats  from  Canada,  and 
nearly  all  the  Indians  of  this  vast  interior,  were  in 
alliance  with  them. 

Braddock  insisted  upon  encumbering  his  march 
with  heavily  laden  wagons,  which  were  to  penetrate 
savage  regions  through  which  he  must,  every  mile, 
construct  his  road.  There  was  a  young  American  in 
the  camp  by  the  name  of  George  Washington.  He 
was  a  man  of  the  highest  rank,  and  of  commanding 
influence,  having  obtained  much  experience  in  In 
dian  warfare.  Modestly,  but  warmly,  he  remon 
strated  against  this  folly.  He  not  only  feared,  but 
was  fully  assured  that  such  a  measure  would  lead  to 
the  inevitable  destruction  of  the  army.  He  urged 
that  pack  horses  only  should  be  employed,  and  as 
few  of  them  as  possible  ;  and  that  thus  they  should 
hurry  along  as  rapidly  and  in  as  compact  a  mass  as 
they  could. 

But  Braddock  was  inexorable.  He  demanded 
his  two  hundred  and  fifty  wagons,  and  a  large  train 
of  pack  horses,  to  be  laden  with  sumptuous  provisions 
for  his  officers.  The  farmers  of  Maryland  and  Vir 
ginia  were  reluctant  to  expose  the  few  wagons  and 
teams  they  had,  to  such  inevitable  destruction. 
Neither  had  they  any  confidence  that  the  British 
Government  would  ever  remunerate  them  in  case  of 
their  loss. 


176  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

Four-wheeled  vehicles  were  very  scarce  in  the 
colonies.  There  were  many  people  who  had  never 
seen  one.  The  general,  after  exhausting  all  his 
efforts,  could  obtain  but  twenty-four.  One  day  as 
he  was  giving  vent  to  his  indignation,  Franklin  sug 
gested  that  it  would  probably  be  much  more  easy  to 
obtain  wagons  in  the  more  densely  settled  parts  of 
Pennsylvania.  Braddock  immediately  urged  him  to 
undertake  the  enterprise.  -Unwisely,  we  think,  he 
consented.  With  his  son  he  hastened  to  Pennsyl 
vania,  and  selected  Lancaster,  York,  and  Carlisle  as 
his  centres  of  operation. 

Whatever  Franklin  undertook,  he  was  pretty 
sure  to  accomplish.  In  twenty  days  he  obtained 
one  hundred  and  fifty  four-horse  wagons,  and  two 
hundred  and  fifty-nine  pack-horses.  He  did  not 
accomplish  this  feat  however,  unti-1  he  had  exhausted 
all  the  money  which  Braddock  had  furnished  him, 
had  spent  over  a  thousand  dollars  of  his  own  money, 
and  had  given  bonds  for  the  safe  return  of  horses 
and  wagons,  whose  money  value  was  estimated  at 
one  hundred  thousand  dollars. 

Braddock  was  lavish  in  his  compliments.  Frank 
lin  dined  with  him  daily.  The  idea  seemed  never  to 
have  entered  Braddock's  mind  that  British  Regulars, 
under  his  command,  could  ever  be  seriously  annoyed 
by  bands  of  French  and  Indians.  He  said  one  day, 


THE   RISING  STORMS   OF  WAR. 

"  After  taking  Fort  Duquesne,  I  shall  go  to  Ni 
agara.  Having  taken  that,  if  the  season  will  permit, 
I  shall  proceed  to  Fort  Frontenac.  Fort  Duquesne 
can  hardly  detain  me  more  than  three  or  four  days." 

Franklin,  who  was  well  aware  that  Braddock  was 
entering  upon  a  far  more  formidable  campaign  than 
he  anticipated,  ventured  very  modestly  to  suggest, 

"  To  be  sure,  sir,  if  you  arrive  well  before  Du 
quesne  with  the  fine  troops  so  well  provided  with 
artillery,  the  fort,  though  completely  fortified,  and 
assisted  with  a  very  strong  garrison,  can  probably 
make  but  a  short  resistance.  The  only  danger  I 
apprehend  of  obstruction  to  your  march,  is  of  ambus 
cades  of  the  Indians,  who,  by  constant  practice,  are 
dexterous  in  laying  and  executing  them.  And  the 
slender  line,  near  four  miles  long,  which  your  army 
must  make,  may  'expose  it  to  be  attacked  by  sur 
prise  in  its  flanks,  and  to  be  cut  like  a  thread  into  sev 
eral  pieces,  which,  from  their  distance,  cannot  come 
up  in  time  to  support  each  other." 

Braddock  smiled  derisively,  at  this  ignorance  of 
a  benighted  American.  "  These  savages  may  in 
deed,"  he  said,  "  be  a  formidable  enemy  to  your  raw 
American  militia.  But  upon  the  king's  regular  and 
disciplined  troops,  it  is  impossible  that  they  should 
make  any  impression." 

Colonel  Washington  regarded  the  wagons,  and 
8* 


BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

the  long  array  of  pack-horses,  as  so  many  nui 
sances,  arresting  the  rapidity  of  their  march,  and  in 
viting  attacks  which  it  would  be  impossible  to  repel. 
At  length  the  army  was  in  motion.  The  progress 
was  very  slow.  Franklin  was  continually  forward 
ing  supplies  ;  and  even  advanced  between  six  and 
seven  thousand  dollars,  from  his  own  purse,  to  expe 
dite  purchases.  A  part  of  this  he  never  received 
back. 

The  attack  upon  Braddock's  army,  and  its  terri 
ble  defeat  soon  came.  A  minute  account  of  the 
conflict  is  given  in  the  Life  of  George  Washington, 
one  of  the  volumes  of  this  series.  The  teamsters 
cut  the  traces  of  their  horses,  mounted  the  swiftest, 
and,  in  the  frenzy  of  their  panic,  rushed  for  home. 
The  other  horses  and  the  wagons,  with  their  abound 
ing  supplies,  were  left  to  magnify  the  triumph  of  the 
exultant  Indians.  Disastrous  as  was  the  campaign, 
Franklin  obtained  much  credit  for  the  efficient  servi 
ces  he  had  rendered. 

War,  with  all  its  horrors,  had  now  penetrated 
the  beautiful  region  of  Pennsylvania,  which  had 
enjoyed  eighty  years  of  peace,  through  the  Christian 
philanthropy  of  William  Penn.  Nearly  all  of  the 
Indians,  beyond  the  mountains,  .were  allies  of  the 
French.  The  news  of  Braddock's  defeat  reached 
Philadelphia  about  the  middle  of  July,  1755.  Im- 


THE   RISING  STORMS   OF  WAR.  1/9 

mediately  a  violent  conflict  arose  between  the  royal 
ist  governor  Morris,  and  the  Colonial  Assembly. 
The  Legislative  body  voted  liberal  taxes  for  the 
public  defence.  But  very  justly  it  was  enacted  that 
these  taxes  should  be  assessed  impartially  upon  all 
estates  alike,  upon  those  of  the  wealthy  Proprie 
taries,  as  well  as  upon  the  few  hundred  acres  which 
were  owned  by  the  humble  farmers.  The  Proprie 
taries,  consisting  of  two  of  the  sons  of  William  Penn, 
revolted  against  this.  The  Governor,  appointed'  by 
them,  as  their  agent  of  course,  united  with  them  in 
opposition.  For  many  weeks  the  conflict  between 
the  Assembly  and  the  Governor  as  agent  of  the  Pro 
prietaries,  raged  fiercely.  Under  these  circumstan 
ces  no  military  supplies  could  be  voted,  and  the 
peril  of  the  community  was  very  great. 

Franklin  warmly  espoused  and  eloquently  advo 
cated  the  claim  of  the  Assembly.  During  the 
months  of  July  and  August,  the  Indians,  satiated 
with  the  vast  plunder  of  Braddock's  camp,  made  no 
attempt  to  cross  the  Alleghanies,  in  predatory  excur 
sions  against  the  more  settled  portions  of  Pennsyl 
vania.  But  September  and  October  ushered  in 
scenes  of  horror  and  carnage,  too  awful  to  be  de 
picted.  Villages  were  laid  in  ashes,  cottages  were 
burned,  families  tomahawked  and  scalped,  women 
and  children  carried  into  captivity,  and  many  poor 


I  SO  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

creatures  perished  at  the  stake,  in  the  endurance  of 
all  the  tortures  which  savage  ingenuity  could  devise. 

And  still  the  Quakers,  adhering  to  their  principle 
of  non-resistance,  refused  to  contribute  any  money, 
or  in  any  way  to  unite  in  any  military  organization 
for  self-defence.  But  in  candor  it  must  be  admitted, 
that  had  the  principles  of  the  Quakers  been  adopted 
by  the  British  court,  f  this  whole  disastrous  war 
might  have  been  avoided.  It  was  a  war  of  invasion 
commenced  by  the  English.  They  were  determined, 
by  force  of  arms,  to  drive  the  French  out  of  the 
magnificent  valleys  beyond  the  mountains.  In  the 
conflict  which  ensued,  both  parties  enlisted  all  the 
savages  they  could,  as  allies.  Will  not  England  at 
the  judgment  be  held  responsible  for. this  war  and 
its  woes  ? 

To  rouse  the  Quakers  to  a  sense  of  shame,  the 
bodies  of  a  whole  murdered  family,  mutilated  and 
gory,  were  brought  to  Philadelphia  and  paraded 
through  all  its  streets,  in  an  open  wagon.  In  No 
vember,  as  the  Indians,  often  led  by  French  officers, 
were  sweeping  the  frontier  in  all  directions,  killing, 
burning,  destroying,  the  antagonistic  parties  in-  the 
Assembly,  for  a  time  laid  aside  their  quarrels,  and 
with  the  exception  of  the  Quakers,  adopted  vigorous 
military  measures.  The  Quakers  were  generally  the 
most  opulent  people  in  the  State.  It  is  not  strange 


THE   RISING   STORMS   OF   WAR.  l8l 

that  the  common  people  should  be  reluctant  to  vol 
unteer  to  defend  the  property  of  the  Quakers,  since 
they  refused  either  to  shoulder  a  musket,  or  to  con 
tribute  a  dollar. 

The  pen  of  Franklin  rendered  wonderful  service 
in  this  crisis.  With  his  accustomed  toleration,  he 
could  make  allowance  for  the  frailties  of  conscience- 
bound  men.  He  wrote  a  very  witty  pamphlet  which 
was  very  widely  read,  and  produced  a  powerful  im 
pression.  Its  character  may  be  inferred  from  the 
following  brief  quotation  : 

"  '  For  my  part,'  says  A,  '  I  am  no  coward  ;  but 
hang  me  if  I  fight  to  save  the  Quakers.' 

" '  That  is  to  say,'  B.  replied,  '  you  will  not  pump 
the  sinking  ship,  because  it  will  save  the  rats  as  well 
as  yourselves.'  " 

The  dialogue  ends  with  the  following  admirable 
words  : 

"  O  !  my  friends,  the  glory  of  serving  and  saving 
others  is  superior  to  the  advantage  of  being  served 
and  secured.  Let  us  resolutely  and  generously 
unite  in  our  country's  cause,  in  which  to  die  is  the 
sweetest  of  all  deaths  ;  and  may  the  God  of  armies 
bless  our  honest  endeavors." 

The  colonists  of  Pennsylvania  now  generally 
rushed  to  arms.  There  were,  on  the  frontiers,  seve 
ral  flourishing  Moravian  villages.  They  were  occu- 


1 82  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

pied  by  a  peculiarly  industrious  and  religious  peo 
ple.  The  traveller  through  their  quiet  streets 
heard,  morning  and  evening,  the  voice  of  prayer 
ascending  from  many  firesides,  and  the  melody  of 
Christian  hymns.  Guadenhutton,  perhaps  the  most 
flourishing  of  them,  was  attacked  by  the  Indians, 
burned,  and  the  inhabitants  all  massacred  or  carried 
into  captivity.  Terrible  was  the  panic  in  the  other 
villages.  They  were  liable  at  any  day,  to  experience 
the  same  fate. 

Under  these  circumstances  the  Governor  raised 
five  hundred  and  forty  volunteers,  and  placed  them 
under  the  command  of  Franklin,  with  the  title  of 
General.  He  was  to  lead  them,  as  rapidly  as  possi 
ble,  to  Northampton  county,  for  the  protection  of 
these  people.  His  son,  William,  was  his  aid-de 
camp.  He  proved  an  efficient  and  valiant  soldier. 

It  was  the  middle  of  December  when  this  heroic 
little  band  commenced  its  march.  Snow  whitened 
the  hills.  Wintry  gales  swept  the  bleak  plains,  and 
moaned  through  the  forests.  The  roads  were 
almost  impassable.  Fierce  storms  often  entirely 
arrested  their  march.  The  wilderness  was  very 
thinly  inhabited.  It  required  the  toil  of  a  month, 
for  Franklin  to  force  his  way  through  these  many 
obstructions  to  the  base  of  his  operations,  though 
it  was  distant  not  more  than  ninety  miles. 


THE  RISING  STORMS   OF  WAR.  183 

The  troops  moved  very  cautiously  to  guard 
against  ambush.  The  philosopher,  Franklin,  though 
he  had  never  received  a  military  education,  and  was 
quite  inexperienced  in  military  affairs,  was  the  last 
man  to  be  drawn  into  such  a  net  as  that  in  which 
the  army  of  Braddock  was.  destroyed. 

Franklin,  as  a  philosopher,  could  appreciate  the 
powerful  influence  of  religious  motives  upon  the 
mind.  Rev.  Mr.  Beatty  was  his  chaplain,  whose 
worth  of  character  Franklin  appreciated.  Before 
commencing  their  march,  all  the  troops  were  assem 
bled  for  a  religious  service.  After  an  earnest  exhor 
tation  to  fidelity  and  duty,  a  fervent  prayer  was 
offered. 

The  march  was  conducted  with  great  regularity. 
First,  scouts  advanced  in  a  semi-circular  line,  rang 
ing  the  woods.  Then  came  the  advanced  guard,  at 
a  few  hundred  paces  behind.  The  centre  followed, 
with  all  the  wagons  and  baggage.  Then  came  the 
rear  guard,  with  scouts  on  each  flank,  and  spies  on 
every  hill. 

Upon  reaching  Guadenhutton,  an  awful  scene  of 
desolation  and  carnage  met  the  eye.  The  once 
happy  village  presented  now  but  a  revolting  expanse 
of  blackened  ruins.  The  mangled  bodies  of  the 
dead  strewed  the  ground,  mutilated  alike  by  the 
savages  and  the  howling  wolves.  Franklin  ordered 


1 84  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

huts  immediately  to  be  reared  to  protect  his  troops 
from  the  inclemency  of  the  weather.  No  man  knew 
better  than  he,  how  to  make  them  comfortable  and 
cheerful  with  the  least  expense. 

A  fort  was  promptly  constructed,  which  he  called 
Fort  Allen,  and  which  could  easily  repel  any  attack 
the  Indians  might  make,  unless  they  approached 
with  formidable  French  artillery.  There  were  many 
indications  that  the  Indians,  in  large  numbers,  were 
hovering  around,  watching  all  their  movements. 
But  the  sagacity  of  Franklin  baffled  them.  They 
kept  concealed  without  any  attack.  The  savages 
were  very  cautious  men  ;  they  would  seldom  engage 
in  a  battle,  unless  they  were  sure  of  victory. 

A  trifling  incident  occurred  at  this  time,  worthy 
of  record  as  illustrative  of  the  shrewdness  of  General 
Franklin. 

The  chaplain  complained  that  the  men  were 
remiss  in  attending  prayers.  Franklin  suggested 
that  though  it  might  not  be  exactly  consistent  with 
the  dignity  of  the  chaplain  to  become  himself  the 
steward  of  the  rum,  still,  if  he  would  order  it  to  be 
distributed  immediately  after  prayers,  he  would 
probably  have  all  the  men  gathering  around  him. 

"  He  liked  the  thought,"  Franklin  wrote,  "  under 
took  the  task,  and  with  the  help  of  a  few  hands  to 
measure  out  the  liquor,  executed  it  to  satisfaction. 


THE   RISING  STORMS  OF  WAR.  185 

Never  were  prayers  more  generally  and  more  punc 
tually  attended.  So  that  I  think  this  method  pre 
ferable  to  the  punishment  inflicted  by  some  military 
laws  for  non-attendance  on  divine  worship." 

Bitter  quarrels  were  renewed  in  the  Assembly. 
The  presence  of  Franklin  was  indispensable  to 
allay  the  strife.  Governor  Morris  wrote  entreating 
him  immediately  to  return  to  Philadelphia.  It  so 
happened  at  this  time,  that  Col.  Clapham,  a  New 
England  soldier  of  experience  and  high  repute, 
visited  the  camp  at  Guadenhutton.  Franklin  placed 
him  in  command,  and  warmly  commending  him  to 
the  confidence  of  the  troops,  hurried  home.  He 
reached  Philadelphia  on  the  loth  of  February,  1756, 
after  two  months'  service  in  the  field.  Universal  ap 
plause  greeted  him.  Several  military  companies,  in 
Philadelphia,  united  in  a  regiment  of  about  twelve 
hundred  men.  Franklin  was  promptly  elected  their 
colonel,  which  office  he  accepted. 

In  tracing  the  disasters  of  war,  it  is  interesting  to 
observe  how  many  of  those  disasters  are  owing  to 
unpardonable  folly.  Some  months  after  Franklin's 
departure,  on  a  cold,  bleak  day  in  November,  a  large 
part  of  the  garrison,  unmindful  of  danger,  were  skat 
ing,  like  school-boys  on  the  Lehigh  river.  The  vigi 
lant  Indians  saw  their  opportunity.  Like  howling 
wolves  they  made  a  rush  upon  the  fort,  entered  its 


1 86  EENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

open  gates,  and  killed  or  captured  all  its  inmates. 
The  skaters  fled  into  the  woods.  They  were  pur 
sued.  Some  were  killed  or  captured.  Some  perished 
miserably  of  cold  and  starvation.  Probably  a  few 
escaped.  The  triumphant  savages,  having  plundered 
the  fort  and  the  dwellings  of  all  their  contents,  ap 
plied  the  torch,  and  again  Guadenhutton  was  reduced 
to  a  pile  of  ashes. 

The  controversy  which  arose  between  the  Gover 
nor  and  the  Assembly  became  acrimonious  in  the 
extreme.  The  principles  there  contended  for,  in 
volved  the  very  existence  of  anything  like  American 
liberty.  For  fifteeen  years  the  pen  and  voice  of 
Franklin  were  influential  in  this  controversy.  He 
probably  did  more  than  any  other  man  to  prepare 
the  colonists  to  resist  the  despotism  of  the  British 
court,  and  to  proclaim  their  independence. 

On  the  5th  of  January,  1681,  King  Charles  the 
Second  had  conferred  upon  William  Penn  twenty- 
six  million  acres  of  the  "  best  land  in  the  universe." 
This  land  was  in  the  New  World,  and  received  the 
name  of  Pennsylvania.  In  return  for  this  grant, 
Penn  agreed  to  pay  annually,  at  Windsor  Castle,  two 
beaver  skins,  and  one-fifth  of  the  gold  and  silver 
which  the  province  might  yield.  He  also  promised 
to  govern  the  province  in  conformity  with  the  laws 
of  England. 


THE   RISING   STORMS   OF  WAR.  187 

He  could  treat  with  the  savages,  appoint  ordi 
nary  magistrates,  and  pardon  petty  crimes.  But  he 
could  lay  no  tax,  and  impose  no  law  without  consent 
of  the  freemen  of  the  province,  represented  in  the 
Assembly. 

Of  this  whole  wide  realm,  Penn  was  the  absolute 
proprietor.  He  refused  to  sell  a  single  acre,  abso- 
solutely,  but  in  all  the  sales  reserved  for  himself 
what  may  be  called  a  ground-rent.  Immense  tracts 
were  sold  at  forty  shillings,  about  ten  dollars,  for  one 
hundred  acres,  reserving  a  rent  of  one  shilling  for 
each  hundred  acres.  He  also  reserved,  entirely  to 
himself,  various  portions  of  the  territory  which 
promised  to  become  the  site  of  important  cities  and 
villages.  All  these  rights  descended  to  the  heirs  of 
William  Penn. 

Seventy-four  years  passed  away,  when  the  estate 
thus  founded,  was  estimated  to  be  worth  ten  mil 
lions  sterling,  and  popular  belief  affirmed  that  it 
produced  a  revenue  of  one  hundred  thousand 
pounds. 

Penn,  when  he  died,  bequeathed  the  province  to 
his  three  sons,  John,  Thomas,  and  Richard.  To  John 
he  gave  a  double  part,  or  one-half  of  Pennsylvania. 
John  died  and  left  his  half  to  Thomas,  who  thus  be 
came  proprietor  of  three-fourths  of  the  province, 
while  Richard  held  one-fourth.  Thus  there  were 


1 88  BENJAMIN      FRANKLIN. 

but  two  proprietors,  Thomas  and  Richard  Penn. 
They  were  both  weak  men  ;  resided  in  England, 
were  thoroughly  imbued  with  Tory  principles,  and, 
in  the  consciousness  of  their  vast  estates,  assumed 
to  be  lords  and  princes. 

They  ruled  their  province  by  a  deputy-governor. 
His  position  was  indeed  no  sinecure.  The  two  pro 
prietaries,  who  appointed  him,  could  at  any  time 
deprive  him  of  office.  The  Assembly  could  refuse 
to  vote  his  salary,  and  if  he  displeased  the  king  of 
England,  he  might  lose,  not  only  his  office,  but  his 
head. 

The  controversy  which  had  arisen,  in  conse 
quence  of  these  involvements  between  the  proprie 
taries  and  the  people,  engrossed  universal  attention. 
During  the  four  years  between  1754  and  1758,  the 
ravaged  colony  of  Pennsylvania  had  raised  the  sum 
of  two  hundred  and  eighteen  thousand  pounds 
sterling,  (over  a  million  of  dollars,)  for  defending  its 
borders.  And  still  the  two  lordly  proprietaries 
demanded  that  their  vast  possessions  should  be 
entirely  exempt  from  taxation. 

To  an  earnest  remonstrance  of  the  Assembly, 
they  returned  an  insulting  answer,  in  which  they 
said, 

"  We  are  no  more  bound  to  pay  taxes  than  any 
other  chief  governor  of  the  King's  colonies.  Your 


THE  RISING   STORMS   OF  WAR.  189 

agitation  of  this  matter  is  a  new  trick  to  secure 
your  re-election.  We  advise  you  to  show  us  the 
respect  due  to  the  rank  which  the  crown  has  been 
pleased  to  bestow  upon  us.  The  people  of  Pennsyl 
vania,  in  ordinary  times,  are  so  lightly  taxed,  that  they 
hardly  know  that  they  are  taxed.  What  fools  you 
are  to  be  agitating  this  dangerous  topic  of  American 
taxation.  It  is  beneath  the  dignity  of  the  Assem 
bly  to  make  trouble  about  such  small  sums  of 
money.  We  do  not  deny  that  you  have  been  at 
some  expense  in  pacifying  the  Indians,  but  that  is 
no  affair  of  ours.  We  already  give  the  province  a 
larger  sum  per  annum,  than  our  share  of  the  taxes 
would  amount  to.  One  of  us,  for  example,  sent 
over  four  hundred  pounds'  worth  of  cannon,  for  the 
defence  of  our  city  of  Philadelphia."  * 

Such  was  their  answer.  It  was  conveyed  in  six 
teen  sentences  which  were  numbered  and  which 
were  very  similar  to  the  ones  we  have  given.  The 
communication  excited  great  displeasure.  It  was 
considered  alike  false  and  insolent.  Even  the  tran 
quil  mind  of  Franklin  was  fired  with  indignation, 
He  replied  to  the  document  with  a  power  of  elo 
quence  and  logic  which  carried  the  convictions  of 
nearly  all  the  colonists. 


CHAPTER   IX. 

Franklin  s  Mission  to  England. 

New  marks  of  respect — Lord  Loudoun — Gov.  Denny  and  Franklin — 
Visit  the  Indians — Franklin  commissioner  to  England — His 
constant  good  nature — Loudoun's  delays — Wise  action  of  an 
English  captain — The  voyagers  land  at  Falmouth — Journey  to 
London — Franklin's  style  of  living  in  London — His  electrical 
experiments — He  teaches  the  Cambridge  professor — Complimen 
tary  action  of  St.  Andrews — Gov.  Denny  displaced,  and  dark 
clouds  arising — Franklin's  successful  diplomacy — His  son  ap 
pointed  Governor  of  New  Jersey — Great  opposition — The  home 
ward  voyage — Savage  horrors — Retaliating  cruelties — Frank 
lin's  efforts  in  behalf  of  the  Moravian  Indians. 

• 

THE  general  impression,  produced  throughout 
the  colonies,  by  the  controversy  with  the  proprieta 
ries,  was  that  they  were  very  weak  men.  Indeed  it 
does  not  appear  that  they  were  much  regarded  even 
in  London.  A  gentleman,  writing  from  that  city, 
said,  "  They  are  hardly  to  be  found  in  the  herd  of 
gentry ;  not  in  court,  not  in  office,  not  in  par 
liament." 

In  March,  Franklin  left  his  home  for  a  post-office 
tour.  Some  forty  of  the  officers  of  his  regiment, 
well  mounted,  and  in  rich  uniform,  without  Frank- 


FRANKLIN'S  MISSION  TO  ENGLAND.        191 

lin's  knowledge,  came  to  his  door,  to  escort  him  out 
of  the  village.  Franklin  says, 

"  I  had  not  previously  been  made  acquainted 
with  their  project,  or  I  should  have  prevented  it, 
being  naturally  averse  to  the  assuming  of  state  on 
any  occasion." 

The  proprietaries  in  London  heard  an  account 
of  this  affair.  They  were  very  much  displeased, 
saying  they  had  never  been  thus  honored,  and  that 
princes  of  the  blood  alone  were  entitled  to  such  dis 
tinction.  The  war  was  still  raging.  Large  bodies 
of  troops  were  crossing  the  ocean  to  be  united  with 
the  colonial  forces. 

Lord  Loudoun  was  appointed  by  the  court  com- 
mander-in-chief  for  America.  He  was  an  exceed 
ingly  weak  and  inefficient  man  ;  scarcely  a  soldier  in 
the  ranks  could  be  found  more  incompetent  for  the 
situation.  Governor  Morris,  of  Pennsylvania,  worn 
out  with  his  unavailing  conflicts  with  the  Assembly, 
was  withdrawn,  and  the  proprietaries  sent  out  Cap 
tain  William  Denny  as  their  obsequious  servant  in 
his  stead.  The  Philadelphians,  hoping  to  conciliate 
him,  received  him  cordially,  and  with  a  public  enter 
tainment.  William  Franklin  wrote  : 

"  Change  of  devils,  according  to  the  Scotch 
proverb,  is  blithesome." 

At  the  close  of  the  feast,  when  most  of  the  party 


IQ2  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

were  making  themselves  merry  over  their  wine, 
Governor  Denny  took  Franklin  aside  into  an  adjoin 
ing  room,  and  endeavored,  by  the  most  abounding 
flattery,  and  by  the  bribe  of  rich  promises,  to  induce 
him  to  espouse  the  cause  of  the  proprietaries.  But 
he  soon  learned  that  Franklin  could  not  be  influ 
enced  by  any  of  his  bribes. 

There  was  but  a  brief  lull  in  the  storm.  Gov 
ernor  Denny  had  no  power  of  his  own.  He  could 
only  obey  the  peremptory  instructions  he  had 
received.  These  instructions  were  irreconcilably 
hostile  to  the  resolves  of  the  Assembly.  Franklin 
was  the  all-powerful  leader  of  the  popular  party. 
There  was  something  in  his  imperturbable  good 
nature  which  it  is  difficult  to  explain.  No  scenes  of 
woe  seemed  to  depress  his  cheerful  spirits.  No 
atrocities  of  oppression  could  excite  his  indignation. 
He  could  thrust  his  keen  dagger  points  into  the 
vitals  of  his  antagonist,  with  a  smile  upon  his  face 
and  jokes  upon  his  lips  which  would  convulse  both 
friend  and  foe  with  laughter.  He  was  the  most 
unrelenting  antagonist  of  Governor  Denny  in  the 
Assembly,  and  yet  he  was  the  only  man  who 
remained  on  good  terms  with  the  governor,  visiting 
him,  and  dining  with  him. 

Governor  Denny  was  a  gentleman,  and  well  edu 
cated,  and  few  men  could  appear  to  better  advan- 


FRANKLIN  S   MISSION   TO    ENGLAND.  IQ3 

tage  in  the  saloons  of  fashion.  But  he  was  trammeled 
beyond  all  independent  action,  by  the  instructions 
he  had  received  from  the  proprietaries.  He  was 
right  in  heart,  was  in  sympathy  with  Franklin,  and 
with  reluctance  endeavored  to  enforce  the  arbitrary 
measures  with  which  he  was  entrusted. 

Franklin  was  one  of  the  most  companionable  of 
men.  His  wonderful  powers  of  conversation,  his 
sweetness  of  temper,  and  his  entire  ignoring  of  all 
aristocratic  assumption,  made  him  one  of  the  most 
fascinating  of  guests  in  every  circle.  He  charmed 
alike  the  rich  and  the  poor,  the  learned  and  the 
ignorant. 

In  November,  1756,  he  accompanied  Governor 
Denny  to  the  frontier  to  confer  with  the  chiefs  of 
several  Indian  tribes.  The  savages,  to  say  the  least, 
were  as  punctillious  in  the  observance  of  the  laws  of 
.honor,  in  securing  the  safety  of  the  ambassadors  on 
such  an  occasion,  as  were  the  English. 

The  governor  and  the  philosopher  rode  side  by 
side  on  horseback,  accompanied  by  only  a  few  body 
servants.  The  governor,  familiar  with  the  clubs  and 
the  wits  of  England,  entertained  Franklin,  in  the 
highest  degree,  with  the  literary  gossip  of  London, 
and  probably  excited  in  his  mind  an  intense  desire 
to  visit  those  scenes,  which  he  himself  was  so  calcu 
lated  to  enjoy  and  to  embellish.  On  the  journey  he 
9 


IQ4  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

wrote  the  following  comic  letter  to  his  wife.  He 
had  been  disappointed  in  not  receiving  a  line  from 
her  by  a  certain  messenger. 

"  I  had  a  good  mind  not  to  write  to  you  by  this 
opportunity,  but  I  never  can  be  ill-natured  enough 
even  when  there  is  most  occasion.  I  think  I  won't 
tell  you  that  we  are  well,  and  that  we  expect  to  re 
turn  about  the  middle  of  the  week,  nor  will  I  send 
you  a  word  of  news  ;  that's  poz.  My  duty  to  moth 
er,  love  to  the  children,  and  to  Miss  Betsy  and 
Gracie.  I  am  your  loving  husband. 

"  P.  S.  I  have  scratched  out  the  loving  words, 
being  writ  in  haste  by  mistake,  when  I  forgot  I  was 
angry." 

Gov.  Denny,  unable  to  accomplish  his  purposes 
with  the  Assembly,  resolved  to  make  a  final  appeal 
to  the  king.  The  House  promptly  decided  to  imi 
tate  his  example.  Its  Speaker,  Mr.  Norris,  and 
Benjamin  Franklin,  were  appointed  commissioners. 
The  Speaker  declined  the  office,  and  Franklin  was 
left  as  sole  commissioner.  He  probably  was  not  at 
all  reluctant  to  be  introduced  to  the  statesmen,  the 
philosophers,  and  the  fashionable  circles  of  the  Old 
World.  To  defray  his  expenses  the  Assembly  voted 
a  sum  of  nearly  eight  thousand  dollars.  He  had  also 
wealth  of  his  own.  By  correspondence,  he  was  quite 
intimately  acquainted  with  very  many  of  the  scien- 


FRANKLIN'S  MISSION  TO  ENGLAND.        195 

tific  men  of  England  and  France.  It  was  very  cer 
tain  that  he  would  have  the  entree  to  any  circle 
which  he  might  wish  to  honor  with  his  presence. 

It  was  at  that  time  a  very  serious  affair  to  cross 
the  Atlantic.  The  ocean  swarmed  with  pirates,  pri 
vateers,  and  men-of-war.  On  the  fourth  of  April, 
1757,  Franklin,  with  his  son  William,  set  out  from 
Philadelphia.  His  cheerfulness  of  spirits  dicffiot 
forsake  him  as  he  left  a  home  where  he  had  been  re 
markably  happy  for  twenty-six  years.  The  family 
he  left  behind  him  consisted  of  his  wife,  his  wife's 
aged  mother,  his  daughter  Sarah,  a  beautiful  child 
of  twelve  years,  one  or  two  nieces,  and  an  old  nurse 
of  the  family. 

Franklin  had  written  to  the  governor  to  ascertain 
the  precise  time  when  the  packet  would  sail.  The 
reply  he  received  from  him  was, 

"  I  have  given  out  that  the  ship  is  to  sail  on  Sat 
urday  next.  But  I  may  let  you  know  entre  nous 
that  if  you  are  there  by  Monday  morning  you  will 
be  in  time ;  but  do  not  delay  any  longer." 

Franklin  was  accompanied  by  a  number  of  his 
friencls  as  far  as  Trenton,  where  they  spent  a  very 
joyful  evening  together.  At  one  of  the  ferries  on 
this  road,  they  were  delayed  by  obstructions  so  that 
they  could  not  reach  the  Hudson  River  until  noon 
of  Monday.  Franklin  feared  that  the  ship  might  sail 


196  BENJAMIN    FRANKLIN. 

without  him  ;    but  upon  reaching  the  river  he  was 
relieved  by  seeing  the  vessel  still  in  the  stream. 

Eleven  weeks  passed  before  Lord  Loudoun  would 
issue  his  permission  for  the  ship  to  sail.  Every  day 
this  most  dilatory  and  incompetent  of  men  an 
nounced  that  the  packet  would  sail  to-morrow  :  And 
thus  the  weeks  rolled  on  while  Franklin  was  waiting, 
but^we  do  not  hear  a  single  word  of  impatience  or 
remonstrance  from  his  lips.  His  philosophy  taught 
him  to  be  happy  under  all  circumstances.  With  a 
smiling  face  he  called  upon  Lord  Loudoun  and  dined 
with  him.  He  endeavored,  but  in  vain,  to  obtain  a 
settlement  of  his  claims  for  supplies  furnished  to 
Braddock's  army. 

He  found  much  in  the  society  of  New  York  to 
entertain  him.  And  more  than  all,  and  above  all,  he 
was  doing  everything  that  could  be  done  for  the  accom 
plishment  of  hisTnission.  Why,  then,  should  he  worry  ? 

"  New  York,"  he  records,  "  was  growing  im 
mensely  rich  by  money  brought  into  it  from  all  quar 
ters  for  the  pay  and  subsistence  of  the  troops." 

Franklin  was  remarkably  gallant  in  his  intercourse 
with  ladies.  He  kept  up  quite  a  brisk  correspond 
ence  with  several  of  the  most  brilliant  ladies  of  the 
day.  No  man  could  more  prettily  pay  a  compli 
ment.  To  his  lively  and  beautiful  friend  Miss  Ray 
he  wrote  upon  his  departure, 


FRANKLIN'S  MISSION  TO  ENGLAND.        197 

"  Present  my  best  compliments  to  all  that  love 
me ;  I  should  have  said  all  that  love  you,  but  that 
would  be  giving  you  too  much  trouble." 

At  length  Lord  Loudoun  granted  permission  for 
the  packet  to  drop  down  to  the  Lower  Bay,  where  a 
large  fleet  of  ninety  vessels  was  assembled,  fitted  out 
for  an  attack  upon  the  French  at  Louisburg.  Frank 
lin  and  his  friends  went  on  board,  as  it  was  an 
nounced  that  the  vessel  would  certainly  sail  "  to 
morrow."  For  six  weeks  longer  the  packet  rode 
there  at  anchor.  Franklin  and  his  companions  had 
for  the  third  time  consumed  all  the  provisions  they 
had  laid  in  store  for  the  voyage.  Still  we  hear  not 
a  murmur  from  our  imperturbable  philosopher. 

At  length  the  signal  for  sailing  was  given.  The 
whole  squadron  put  to  sea,  and  the  London  packet, 
with  all  the  rest,  was  swept  forward  toward  Louis- 
burg.  After  a  voyage  of  five  days,  a  letter  was 
placed  in  the  hands  of  the  captain,  authorizing  him 
to  quit  the  fleet  and  steer  for  England. 

The  days  and  nights  of  a  long  voyage  came  and 
went,  when  the  packet  at  midnight  in  a  gale  of  wind, 
and  enveloped  in  fogs,  was  approaching  Falmouth. 
A  light-house,  upon  some  rocks,  had  not  been  vis 
ible.  Suddenly  \he  lifting  of  the  fog  revealed  the 
light-house  and  the  craggy  shore,  over  which  the 
surf  was  fearfully  breaking,  at  the  distance  of  but  a 


198  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

few  rods.  A  captain  of  the  Royal  Navy,  who 
chanced  to  be  near  the  helmsman,  sprang  to  the 
helm,  called  upon  the  sailors  instantly  to  wear  ship, 
and  thus,  at  the  risk  of  snapping  every  mast,  saved 
the  vessel  and  the  crew  from  otherwise  immediate 
and  certain  destruction. 

There  was  not,  at  that  time,  a  single  light-house 
on  the  North  American  coast.  The  event  impressed 
the  mind  of  Franklin  deeply,  and  he  resolved  that 
upon  his  return,  light-houses  should  be  constructed. 

About  nine  o'clock  the  next  morning  the  fog  was 
slowly  dispersed,  and  Falmouth,  with  its  extended 
tower,  its  battlemented  castles,  and  the  forests  of 
masts,  was  opened  before  the  weary  voyagers.  It 
was  Sunday  morning  and  the  bells  were  ringing  for 
church.  The  vessel  glided  into  the  harbor,  and  joy 
fully  the  passengers  landed.  Franklin  writes, 

"  The  bell  ringing  for  church,  we  went  thither 
immediately,  and  with  hearts  full  of  gratitude  re 
turned  sincere  thanks  to  God  far  the  mercies  we  had 
received." 

We  know  not  whether  this  devout  act  was  sug 
gested  by  Franklin,  or  whether  he  courteously  fell 
in  with  the  arrangement  proposed,  perhaps,  by  some 
religious  companion.  It  is,  however,  certain  that 
the  sentence  which  next  followed,  in  his  lette^  came 
gushing  from  his  own  mind. 


FRANKLIN'S  MISSION  TO  ENGLAND.        199 

"  Were  I  a  Roman  Catholic,  perhaps  I  should,  on 
this  occasion,  vow  to  build  a  chapel  to  some  saint. 
But  as  I  am  not,  if  I  were  to  vow  at  all  it  should  be 
to  build  a  light-house" 

It  required  a  journey  of  two  hundred  and  fifty 
miles  to  reach  London.  'Franklin  and  his  son  posted 
to  London,  which  was  the  most  rapid  mode  of  trav 
eling  in  those  days.  They  seem  to  have  enjoyed  the 
journey  in  the  highest  degree,  through  blooming, 
beautiful,  highly  cultivated  England.  Almost  every 
thing  in  the  charming  landscape,  appeared  different 
from  the  rude  settlements  which  were  springing  up 
amid  the  primeval  forests  of  the  New  World. 

They  visited  the  Cathedral  at  Salisbury,  Stone- 
henge,  Wilton  Hall,  the  palatial  mansion  of  the  Earl 
of  Pembroke.  England  was  in  her  loveliest  attire. 
Perhaps  there  could  not  then  be  found,  upon  this 
globe,  a  more  lovely  drive,  than  that  through  luxuri 
ant  Devonshire,  and  over  the  Hampshire  Downs. 

Peter  Collinson,  a  gentleman  of  great  wealth,  first 
received  the  travelers  to  his  own  hospitable  mansion. 
Here  Franklin  was  the  object  of  marked  attentions 
from  the  most  distinguished  scientists  of  England. 
Other  gentlemen  of  high  distinction  honored  them 
selves  by  honoring  him.  Franklin  visited  the  old 
printing-house,  where  he  had  worked  forty  years 
before,  and  treated  the  workmen  with  that  beer, 


200  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

which  he  had  formerly  so  efficiently  denounced  in 
that  same  place. 

Soon  he  took  lodgings  with  a  very  agreeable 
landlady,  Mrs.  Stevenson,  No.  7,  Craven  street, 
Strand.  He  adopted,  not  an  ostentatious,  but  a  very 
genteel  style  of  living.  Both  he  and  his  son  had 
brought  with  them  each  a  body  servant  from  Amer 
ica.  He  set  up  a  modest  carriage,  that  he  might 
worthily  present  himself  at  the  doors  of  cabinet  min 
isters  and  members  of  parliament. 

The  Proprietaries  received  him  very  coldly, 
almost  insolently.  They  were  haughty,  reserved 
and  totally  uninfluenced  by  his  arguments.  He 
presented  to  them  a  brief  memorandum,  which  very 
lucidly  explained  the  views  of  the  Assembly.  It 
was  as  follows, 

i.  "  The  Royal  Charter  gives  the  Assembly  the 
power  to  make  laws;  the  proprietary  instructions 
deprive  it  of  that  power.  2.  The  Royal  Charter 
confers  on  the  Assembly  the  right  to  grant  or  with 
hold  supplies;  the  instructions  neutralize  that  right. 
3.  The  exemption  of  the  proprietary  estate  from 
taxation  is  unjust.  4.  The  proprietaries  are  besought 
to  consider  these  grievances  seriously  and  redress 
them,  that  harmony  may  be  restored." 

The  Penn  brothers  denounced  this  brief  docu 
ment,  as  vague,  and  disrespectful.  It  was  evident 


FRANKLIN'S  MISSION  TO  ENGLAND.       201 

that  Franklin  had  nothing  to  hope  from  them.  He 
therefore  directed  all  his  energies  to  win  to  his  side 
the  Lords  of  Trade,  and  the  members  of  the  King's 
Council,  to  whom  the  final  decision  must  be  referred. 
Twelve  months  elapsed,  during  which  nothing  was 
accomplished.  But  wre  hear  not  a  murmur  from  his 
lips.  He  was  not  only  contented  but  jovial.  For 
two  whole  years  he  remained  in  England,  apparently 
accomplishing  nothing.  These  hours  of  leisure  he' 
devoted  to  the  enjoyment  of  fashionable,  intellectual 
and  scientific  society.  No  man  could  be  a  more 
welcome  guest,  in  such  elevated  circles,  for  no  man 
could  enjoy  more  richly  the  charms  of  such  society, 
or  could  contribute  more  liberally  to  its  fascination. 
Electricity  was  still  a  very  popular  branch  of  nat 
ural  science.  The  brilliant  experiments  Franklin 
performed,  lured  many  to  his  apartments.  His 
machine  was  the  largest  which  had  been  made,  and 
would  emit  a  spark  nine  inches  in  length.  He  had 
invented,  or  greatly  improved,  a  new  musical  ma 
chine  of  glass  goblets,  called  the  Armonica. 

It  was  listened  to  with  much  admiration,  as  it 
gave  forth  the  sweetest  tones.  He  played  upon 
this  instrument  with  great  effect. 

The  theatre  was  to  Franklin  an  inexhaustible 
source  of  enjoyment.  Garrick  was  then  in  the  merid 
ian  of  his  fame.  He  loved  a  good  dinner,  and  could, 


202  BENJAMIN    FRANKLIN. 

without  inconvenience,  empty  the  second  bottle  of 
claret.  He  wrote  to  a  friend, 

"  I  find  that  I  love  company,  chat,  a  laugh,  a 
glass,  and  even  a  song  as  well  as  ever." 

At  one  time  he  took  quite  an  extensive  tour 
through  England,  visiting  the  University  at  Cam 
bridge.  He  was  received  with  the  most  flattering 
attentions  from  the  chancellor  and  others  of  the 
prominent  members  of  the  faculty.  Indeed  every 
summer,  during  his  stay  in  England,  Franklin  and 
his  son  spent  a  few  weeks  visiting  the  most  attract 
ive  scenes  of  the  beautiful  island.  Wherever  he 
went,  he  left  an  impression  behind  him,  which 
greatly  increased  his  reputation. 

At  Cambridge  he  visited  the  chemical  laboratory, 
with  the  distinguished  Professor  of  Chemistry,  Dr. 
Hadley.  Franklin  suggested  that  temperature  could 
be  astonishingly  reduced  by  evaporation.  It  was  en 
tirely  a  new  idea  to  the  Professor.  They  both  with 
others  repaired  to  Franklin's  room.  He  had  ether 
there,  and  a  thermometer.  To  the  astonishment  of 
the  Professor  of  Chemistry  in  Cambridge  Univer 
sity,  the  printer  from  Philadelphia  showed  him  that 
by  dipping  the  ball  into  the  ether,  and  then  blowing 
upon  it  with  bellows  to  increase  the  evaporation, 
the  mercury  rapidly  sunk  twenty-five  degrees  below 
the  freezing  point.  Ice  was  formed  a  quarter  of  an 


FRANKLIN'S  MISSION  TO  ENGLAND.        203 

inch  thick,  all  around  the  ball.  Thus,  surrounded 
by  the  professors  of  one  of  the  most  distinguished 
universities  of  Europe,  Benjamin  Franklin  was  the 
teacher  of  the  teachers. 

The  father  and  the  son  visited  the  villages  where 
their  ancestors  had  lived.  They  sought  out  poor 
relations,  and  examined  the  tombstones.  In  the 
spring  of  1769,  they  spent  six  weeks  in  Scotland. 
The  University  of  St.  Andrews  conferred  upon 
Franklin  the  honorary  title  of  doctor,  by  which  he 
has  since  been  generally  known.  Other  universities 
received  him  with  great  distinction.  The  corpora 
tion  of  Edinburgh  voted  him  the  freedom  of  the 
city.  All  the  saloons  of  fashion  were  not  only  open 
to  receive  him,  but  his  presence,  at  every  brilliant 
entertainment,  was  eagerly  sought.  The  most  dis 
tinguished  men  of  letters  crowded  around  him. 

o 

Hume,  Robertson  and  Lord  Kames  became  his  inti 
mate  friends. 

These  were  honors  sufficient  to  turn  the  head  of 
almost  any  man.  But  Franklin,  who  allowed  no 
adversity  to  annoy  him,  could  not  be  unduly  elated 
by  any  prosperity  or  flattery. 

'•  On  the  whole,"  writes  Franklin,  "  I  must  say, 
that  the  time  we  spent  there  (Scotland)  was  six 
weeks  of  the  densest  happiness  I  have  met  with  in 
any  part  of  my  life." 


204  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

Still  it  is  evident  that  occasionally  he  felt  some 
slight  yearnings  for  the  joys  of  that  home,  over 
which  his  highly  esteemed  wife  presided  with  such 
economy  and  skill.  He  wrote  to  her, 

"The  regard  and  friendship  I  meet  with  from 
persons  of  worth,  and  the  conversation  of  ingenuous 
men  give  me  no  small  pleasure.  But  at  this  time 
of  life,  domestic  comforts  afford  the  most  solid  satis 
faction  ;  *  and  my  uneasiness  at  being  absent  from 
my  family  and  longing  desire  to  be  with  them,  make 
me  often  sigh,  in  the  midst  of  cheerful  company. 
An  English  gentleman,  Mr.  Strahan,  wrote  to  Mrs. 
Franklin,  urging  her  to  come  over  to  England  and 
join  her  husband.  In  this  letter  he  said, 

"  I  never  saw  a  man  who  was,  in  every  respect, 
so  perfectly  agreeable  to  me.  Some  are  amiable  in 
one  view,  some  in  another ;  he  in  all." 

Three  years  thus  passed  away.  It  must  not  be 
supposed  that  the  patriotic  and  faithful  Franklin 
lost  any  opportunity  whatever,  to  urge  the  all  im 
portant  cause  with  which  he  was  entrusted.  His 
philosophy  taught  him  that  when  he  absolutely 
could  not  do  any  thing  but  wait,  it  was  best  to  wait 
in  the  most  agreeable  and  profitable  manner. 

It  was  one  of  his  strong  desires,  which  he  was 
compelled  to  abandon,  to  convert  the  proprietaiy 

*  Franklin  was  then  53  years  of  age. 


FRANKLIN'S  MISSION  TO  ENGLAND.        205 

province  of  Pennsylvania  into  a  royal  province. 
After  Franklin  left  Philadelphia,  the  strife  between 
the  Assembly,  and  Governor  Denny,  as  the  repre 
sentative  of  the  proprietaries,  became  more  violent 
than  ever.  The  governor,  worn  out  by  the  cease 
less  struggle,  yielded  in  some  points.  This  offended 
the  proprietaries.  Indignantly  they  dismissed  him 
and  appointed,  in  his  place,  Mr.  James  Hamilton,  a 
more  obsequious  servant. 

By  the  royal  charter  it  was  provided  that  all 
laws,  passed  by  the  Assembly  and  signed  by  the 
governor,  should  be  sent  to  the  king,  for  his  ap 
proval.  One  of  the  bills  which  the  governor, 
compelled  as  it  were  by  the  peril  of  public  affairs, 
had  signed,  allowed  the  Assembly  to  raise  a  sum  of 
about  five  hundred  thousand  dollars,  to  be  raised  by 
a  tax  on  all  estates^  This  was  a  dangerous  precedent. 
The  aristocratic  court  of  England  repealed  it,  as  an 
encroachment  upon  the  rights  of  the  privileged 
classes.  It  was  a  severe  blow  to  the  Assembly. 
The  speaker  wrote  to  Franklin  : 

"  We  are  among  rocks  and  sands,  in  a  stormy 
season.  It  depends  upon  you  to  do  every  thing  in 
your  power  in  the  present  crisis.  It  is  too  late  for 
us  to  give  you  any  assistance." 

When  Franklin  received  the  crushing  report 
against  the  Assembly  he  was  just  setting  off  for  a 


206  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

pleasant  June  excursion  in  Ireland.  Immediately 
he  unpacked  his  saddle-bags,  and  consecrated  all  his 
energies  to  avert  the  impending  evils.  He  enlisted 
the  sympathies  of  Lord  Mansfield,  and  accomplished 
the  astonishing  feat  in  diplomacy,  of  inducing  the 
British  Lords  of  Commission  to  reverse  their  decis 
ion,  and  to  vote  that  the  act  of  the  Assembly 
should  stand  unrepealed. 

His  business  detained  Franklin  in  London  all 
summer.  In  the  autumn  he  took  a  tour  into  the 
west  of  England  and  Wales.  The  gales  of  winter 
were  now  sweeping  the  Atlantic.  No  man  in  his 
senses  would  expose  himself  to  a,  winter  passage 
across  the  ocean,  unless  it  was  absolutely  necessary. 
Indeed  it  would  appear  that  Franklin  was  so  happy 
in  England,  that  he  was  not  very  impatient  to  see 
his  home  again.  Though  he  had  been  absent  three 
years  from  his  wife  and  child,  still  two  years  more 
elapsed  before  he  embarked  for  his  native  land. 

On  the  25th  of  October  George  II.  died.  His 
grandson,  a  stupid,  stubborn  fanatically  conscien 
tious  young  man  ascended  the  throne,  wTith  the  title 
of  George  III.  It  would  be  difficult  to  compute  the 
multitudes  in  Europe,  Asia  and  America,  whom  his 
arrogance  and  ambition  caused  to  perish  on  the  bat 
tle  field.  During  these  two  years  there  was  nothing 
of  very  special  moment  which  occurred  in  the  life  of 


FRANKLIN'S  MISSION  TO  ENGLAND.        207 

Franklin.  Able  as  he  was  as  a  statesman,  science 
was  the  favorite  object  of  his  pursuit.  He  wrote 
several  very  strong  pamphlets  upon  the  political 
agitations  of  those  tumultuous  days,  when  all  nations 
seem  to  have  been  roused  to  cutting  each  other's 
throats.  He  continued  to  occupy  a  prominent  po 
sition  wherever  he  was,  and  devoted  much  time  in 
collecting  his  thoughts  upon  a  treatise  to  be  desig 
nated  "  The  Art  of  Virtue."  The  treatise,  however, 
was  never  written. 

His  influential  and  wealthy  friend,  Mr.  Strahan, 
was  anxious  to  unite  their  two  families  by  the  mar 
riage  of  his  worthy  and  prosperous  son  to  Mr. 
Franklin's  beautiful  daughter,  Sarah.  But  the  plan 
failed.  Franklin  also  made  an  effort  to  marry  his 
only  son  William,  who,  it  will  be  remembered,  was 
not  born  in  wedlock,  to  a  very  lovely  English  lady, 
Miss  Stephenson.  But  this  young  man,  who,  re 
nouncing  revealed  religion,  was  a  law  unto  himself, 
had  already  become  a  father  without  being  a  hus 
band.  Miss  Stephenson  had  probably  -learned  this 
fact  and,  greatly  to  the  disappointment  of  Franklin, 
declined  the  alliance.  The  unhappy  boy,  the  dis 
honored  son  of  a  dishonored  father,  was  born  about 
the  year  1760.  Nothing  is  known  of  what  became 
of  the  discarded  mother.  He  received  the  name  of 
William  Temple  Franklin. 


208  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

Benjamin  Franklin,  as  in  duty  bound,  recognized 
him  as  his  grandson,  and  received  him  warmly  to  his 
house  and  his  heart.  The  reader  will  hereafter  be 
come  better  acquainted  with  the  character  and  career 
of  this  young  man.  In  the  spring  of  1762,  Franklin 
commenced  preparations  for  his  return  home.  He 
did  not  reach  Philadelphia  until  late  in  the  autumn. 
Upon  his  departure  from  England,  the  University 
of  Oxford  conferred  upon  him  the  distinction  of  an 
honorary  degree. 

William  Franklin,  though  devoid  of  moral  princi 
ple,  was  a  man  of  highly  respectable  abilities,  of 
pleasing  manners,  and  was  an  entertaining  compan 
ion.  Lord  Bute,  who  was  in  power,  was  the  warm 
friend  of  Dr.  Franklin.  He  therefore  caused  his  son 
William  to  be  appointed  governor  of  New  Jersey. 
It  is  positively  asserted  that  Franklin  did  not  solicit 
the  favor.  Indeed  it  was  not  a  very  desirable  office. 
Its  emoluments  amounted  to  but  about  three  thou 
sand  dollars  a  year.  The  governorship  of  the  col 
onies  was  generally  conferred  upon  the  needy  sons 
of  the  British  aristocracy.  So  many  of  them  had 
developed  characters  weak  and  unworthy,  that  they 
were  not  regarded  with  much  esteem. 

William  Franklin  was  married  on  the  2d  of  Sep 
tember,  1762,  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Downes.  The  an 
nouncement  of  the  marriage  in  London,  and  of  his 


FRANKLIN'S  MISSION  TO  ENGLAND.        209 

appointment  to  the  governorship  of  New  Jersey, 
created  some  sensation.  Mr.  John  Penn,  son  of  one 
of  the  proprietaries,  and  who  was  soon  to  become 
governor  of  Pennsylvania,  affected  great  indignation 
in  view  of  the  fact  that  William  Franklin  was  to  be 
a  brother  governor.  He  wrote  to  Lord  Stirling, 

"  It  is  no  less  amazing  than  true,  that  Mr.  Wil 
liam  Franklin,  son  of  Benjamin  Franklin  of  Philadel 
phia,  is  appointed  to  be  governor  of  the  province  of 
New  Jersey.  I  make  no  doubt  that  the  people  of 
New  Jersey  will  make  some  remonstrances  at  this 
indignity  put  upon  them.  You  are  full  as  well  ac 
quainted  with  the  character  and  principles  of  this 
person  as  myself,  and  are  as  able  to  judge  of  the  im 
propriety  of  such  an  appointment.  What  a  dishonor 
and  a  disgrace  it  must  be  to  a  country  to  have  such 
a  man  at  the  head  of  it,  and  to  sit  down  contented. 
I  should  hope  that  some  effort  will  be  made  before 
our  Jersey  friends  would  put  up  with  such  an  insult. 
If  any  gentleman  had  been  appointed,  it  would  have 
been  a  different  case.  But  I  cannot  look  upon  the 
person  in  question  in  that  light  by  any  means.  I 
may  perhaps  be  too  strong  in  my  expressions,  but  I 
am  so  extremely  astonished  and  enraged  at  it,  that 
I  am  hardly  able  to  contain  myself  at  the  thought 
of  it." 

Franklin  sailed  from  Portsmouth  the  latter  part 


210  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

of  August.  Quite  a  fleet  of  American  merchantmen 
sailed  together.  The  weather  during  a  voyage  of 
nine  weeks,  was  most  of  the  time  delightful.  Often 
the  vessels  glided  along  so  gently  over  a  waveless 
sea,  that  the  passengers  could  visit,  and  exchange 
invitations  for  dinner  parties. 

On  the  first  of  November,  Franklin  reached  his 
home.  He  had  been  absent  nearly  six  years.  All 
were  well.  His  daughter,  whom  he  had  left  a  child 
of  twelve,  was  now  a  remarkably  beautiful  and  ac 
complished  maiden  of  eighteen.  Franklin  was 
received  not  only  with  affection,  but  with  enthu 
siasm.  The  Assembly  voted  him  fifteen  thousand 
dollars  for  his  services  in  England. 

His  son  William,  with  his  bride,  did  not  arrive 
until  the  next  February.  Franklin  accompanied 
him  to  New  Jersey.  The  people  there  gave  the 
governor  a  very  kind  greeting.  He  took  up  his  resi 
dence  in  Burlington,  within  fifteen  miles  of  the 
home  of  his  father. 

Franklin  had  attained  the  age  of  fifty-seven. 
He  was  in  perfect  health,  had  an  ample  fortune,  and 
excelled  most  men  in  his  dignified  bearing  and  his 
attractive  features.  Probably  there  never  was  a 
more  happy  man.  He  had  leisure  to  devote  himself 
to  his  beloved  sciences.  It  was  his  dream,  his  castle 
in  the  air,  to  withdraw  from  political  life,  and 


FRANKLIN'S  MISSION  TO  ENGLAND.       211 

devote  the  remainder  of  his  days  to  philosophical 
research. 

In  the  year  1763  terminated  the  seven  years' 
war.  There  was  peace  in  Europe,  peace  on  the 
ocean,  but  not  peace  along  the  blood  crimsoned 
frontiers  of  the  wilderness  of  America.  England 
and  France  had  been  hurling  savage  warriors 
by  tens  of  thousands  against  each  other,  and 
against  the  helpless  emigrants  in  their  defenceless 
villages  and  their  lonely  cabins.  The  belligerent 
powers  of  Europe,  in  their  ambitious  struggles,  cared 
very  little  for  the  savages  of  North  America.  Like 
the  hungry  wolf  they  had  lapped  blood.  Plunder 
had  become  as  attractive  to  them  as  to  the  priva- 
teersman  and  the  pirate.  During  the  summer  of 
1763,  the  western  regions  of  Pennsylvania  were  fear 
fully  ravaged  by  these  fierce  bands.  Thousands  of 
settlers  were  driven  from  their  homes,  their  buildings 
laid  in  ashes,  and  their  farms  utterly  desolated. 

In  all  the  churches  contributions  were  raised,  in 
behalf  of  the  victims  of  this  insane  and  utterly  need 
less  war.  Christ  church  alone  raised  between 
three  and  four  thousand  dollars  ;  and  sent  a  mis 
sionary  to  expend  the  sum  among  these  starving, 
woe-stricken  families.  The  missionary  reported 
seven  hundred  and  fifty  farms  in  Pennsylvania  alone, 
utterly  abandoned.  Two  hundred  and  fifty  women 


212  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

and  children,  destitute  and   despairing,  had  fled  to 
Fort  Pitt  for  protection. 

In  the  midst  of  these  awful  scenes,  Governor 
Hamilton  resigned,  and  the  weak,  haughty  John 
Penn  arriving,  took  his  place.  The  Assembly,  as 
usual,  gave  him  a  courteous  reception,  wishing,  if 
possible,  to  avert  a  quarrel.  There  were  many 
fanatics  in  those  days.  Some  of  these  assumed  that 
God  was  displeased,  because  the  heathen  Indians 
had  not  been  entirely  exterminated.  The  savages 
had  perpetrated  such  horrors,  that  by  them  no 
distinction  was  made  between  those  friendly  to 
the  English,  and  those  hostile.  The  very  name 
of  Indian  was  loathed. 

In  the  vicinity  of  Lancaster,  there  was  the  feeble 
remnant  of  a  once  powerful  tribe.  The  philanthropy 
of  William  Penn  had  won  them  to  love  the  English. 
No  one  of  them  had  ever  been  known  to  lift  his 
hand  against  a  white  man.  There  were  but  twenty 
remaining,  seven  men,  five  women  and  eight  chil 
dren.  They  were  an  industrious,  peaceful,  harmless 
people,  having  adopted  English  names,  English 
customs  and  the  Christian  religion. 

A  vagabond  party  of  Scotch-Irish,  from  Paxton, 
set  out,  in  the  morning  of  the  I4th  of  December, 
for  their  destruction.  They  were  well  mounted 
and  well  armed.  It  so  happened  that  there  were 


FRANKLIN'S  MISSION  TO  ENGLAND.        213 

but  six  Indians  at  home.  They  made  no  defence. 
Parents  and  children  knelt,  as  in  prayer,  and  silently 
received  the  death  blow.  Every  head  was  cleft 
by  the  hatchet.  These  poor  creatures  were  very 
affectionate,  and  had  greatly  endeared  themselves  to 
their  neighbors.  This  deed  of  infamous  assassina 
tion  roused  the  indignation  of  many  of  the  most 
worthy  people  in  the  province.  But  there  were 
thousands  of  the  baser  sort,  who  deemed  it  no  crime 
to  kill  an  Indian,  any  more  than  a  wolf  or  a  bear. 

Franklin  wrote,  to  the  people  of  Pennsylvania, 
a  noble  letter  of  indignant  remonstrance,  denounc 
ing  the  deed  as  atrocious  murder.  Vividly  he  pic 
tured  the  scene  of  the  assassination,  and  gave  the 
names,  ages  and  characters  of  the  victims.  A  hun 
dred  and  forty  Moravian  Indians,  the  firm  and  un 
suspected  friends  of  the  English,  terrified  by  this 
massacre,  fled  to  Philadelphia  for  protection.  The 
letter  of  Franklin  had  excited  much  sympathy  in 
their  behalf.  '  The  people  rallied  for  their  protec 
tion.  The  Paxton  murderers,  several  hundred  in 
number,  pursued  the  fugitives,  avowing  their  deter 
mination  to  put  every  one  to  death.  The  imbecile 
governor  was  at  his  wits'  end.  Franklin  was  sum 
moned. 

He,  at  once,  proclaimed  his  house  headquarters  ; 
rallied  a  regiment  of  a  thousand  men,  and  made 


214  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

efficient  arrangements  to  give  the  murderers  a  warm 
reception.  The  Paxton  band  reached  Germantown. 
Franklin,  anxious  to  avoid  bloodshed,  rode  out  with 
three  aids,  to  confer  with  the  leaders.  He  writes, 

"  The  fighting  face  we  had  put  on,  and  the  rea 
sonings  we  used  with  the  insurgents,  having  turned 
them  back,  and  restored  quiet  to  the  city,  I  became 
a  less  man  than  ever  ;  for  I  had,  by  this  transaction, 
made  myself  many  enemies  among  the  populace." 


CHAPTER   X. 

Franklin  s  Second  Mission  to  England. 

Fiendish  conduct  of  John  Penn — Petition  to  the  crown — Debt  of 
England  —  Two  causes  of  conflict  —  Franklin  sent  to  Eng 
land —  His  embarkation — Wise  counsel  to  his  daughter — The 
stamp  act — American  resolves — Edmund  Burke — Examination 
of  Franklin — Words  of  Lord  Chatham — Dangers  to  English 
operatives — Repeal  of  the  stamp  act — Joy  in  America — Ross 
Mackay — New  taxes  levied — Character  of  George  III — Accumu- 
.  lation  of  honors  to  Franklin — Warlike  preparations — Human 
conscientiousness — Unpopularity  of  William  Franklin — Marriage 
of  Sarah  Franklin — Franklin's  varied  investigations — Efforts  to 
civilize  the  Sandwich  Islands. 

IT  is  scarcely  too  severe  to  say  that  Governor 
John  Penn  was  both  knave  and  fool.  To  ingratiate 
himself  with  the  vile  Paxton  men  and  their  parti 
sans,  he  issued  a  proclamation,  offering  for  every 
captive  male  Indian,  of  any  hostile  tribe,  one  hun 
dred  and  fifty  dollars,  for  every  female,  one  hundred 
and  thirty-eight  dollars.  For  the  scalp  of  a  male, 
the  bounty  was  one  hundred  and  thirty-eight  dol 
lars  ;  for  the  scalp  of  a  female  fifty  dollars.  Of 
course  it  would  be  impossible,  when  the  scalps  were 
brought  in  to  decide  whether  they  were  stripped 
from  friendly  or  hostile  heads. 


2l6  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

Curiously  two  political  parties  were  thus  organ 
ized.  The  governor,  intensely  inimical  to  Franklin, 
led  all  the  loose  fellows  who  approved  of  the 
massacre  of  the  friendly  Indians.  Franklin  was  sup 
ported  by  the  humane  portion  of  the  community, 
who  regarded  that  massacre  with  horror. 

There  was  much  bitterness  engendered.  Franklin 
was  assailed  and  calumniated  as  one  of  the  worst  of 
men.  He,  as  usual,  wrote  a  pamphlet,  which  was  read 
far  and  wide.  Earnestly  he  urged  that  the  crown, 
as  it  had  a  right  to  do,  should,  by  purchase,  take  pos 
session  of  the  province  and  convert  its  government 
into  that  of  a  royal  colony.  It  should  be  remem 
bered  that  this  was  several  years  before  the  troubles 
of  the  revolution  arose.  The  people  were  in  heart 
true  Englishmen.  Fond  of  their  nationality,  sin- ' 
cere  patriotism  glowed  in  all  bosoms.  They  ever 
spoke  of  England  as  "  home."  When  the  Assembly 
met  again  three  thousand  citizens,  influenced  mainly 
by  Franklin's  pamphlet,  sent  in  a  petition  that  the 
province  might  revert  to  the  crown.  The  Penns 
succeeded  in  presenting  a  counter  petition  signed  by 
three  hundred. 

The  British  cabinet,  in  its  insatiable  thirst  for 
universal  conquest,  or  impelled  by  necessity  to  repel 
the  encroachments  of  other  nations,  equally  wicked 
and  equally  grasping,  had  been  by  fleet  and  army, 


SECOND   MISSION  TO   ENGLAND.  2 1/ 

fighting  all  over  the  world.  After  spending  every 
dollar  which  the  most  cruel  taxation  could  extort 
from  the  laboring  and  impoverished  masses,  the 
government  had  incurred  the  enormous  debt  of 
seventy-three  millions  sterling.  This  amounted  to 
over  three  hundred  and  sixty-five  millions  of  our 
money. 

The  government  decided  to  tax  the  Americans 
to  help  pay  the  interest  on  this  vast  sum.  But  the 
colonies  were  already  taxed  almost  beyond  endu 
rance,  to  carry  on  the  terrible  war  against  the 
French  and  Indians.  This  war  was  not  one  of  their 
own  choosing.  It  had  been  forced  upon  them  by 
the  British  Cabinet,  in  its  resolve  to  drive  the 
French  off  the  continent  of  North  America.  The 
Americans  were  allowed  no  representation-  in  Parlia 
ment.  They  were  to  be  taxed  according  to  the 
caprice  of  the  government.  Franklin,  with  patriotic 
foresight,  vehemently,  and  with  resistless  force  of 
logic,  resisted  the  outrage. 

It  will  be  perceived  that  there  were  now  two 
quite  distinct  sources  of  controversy.  First  came 
the  conflict  with  the  proprietaries,  and  then  rose 
the  still  more  important  strife  with  the  cabinet  of 
Great  Britain,  to  repel  the  principle  of  taxation 
without  representation.  This  principle  once  ad 
mitted,  the  crown  could  tax  the  Americans  to  any 
10 


2l8  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

amount  whatever  it  pleased.  Many  unreflecting 
people  could  not  appreciate  these  disastrous  results. 

Thus  all  the  partisans  of  the  Penns,  and  all  the 
office  holders  of  the  crown  and  their  friends,  and 
there  were  many  such,  became  not  only  opposed  to 
Franklin,  but  implacable  in  their  hostility.  The 
majority  of  the  Assembly  was  with  him.  He  was 
chosen  Speaker,  and  then  was  elected  to  go  again  to 
England,  to  carry  with  him  to  the  British  Court  the 
remonstrances  of  the  people  against  "  taxation  with 
out  representation,"  and  their  earnest  petition  to  be 
delivered  from  the  tyranny  of  the  Penns.  More  un 
welcome  messages  to  the  British  Court  and  aris 
tocracy,  he  could  not  well  convey.  It  was  certain 
that  the  Penns  and  their  powerful  coadjutors,  would 
set  many  influences  in  array  against  him.  Mr.  Dick 
inson,  in  the  Assembly,  remonstrating  against  this 
appointment,  declared  that  there  was  no  man  in 
Pennsylvania  who  was  more  the  object  of  popular 
dislike  than  Benjamin  Franklin. 

But  two  years  had  elapsed  since  Franklin's  return 
to  America,  after  an  absence  from  his  home  of  six 
years.  He  still  remembered  fondly  the  "  dense  happi 
ness  "  which  he  had  enjoyed  in  the  brilliant  circles 
abroad.  This,  added  to  an  intensity  of  patriotism, 
which  rendered  him  second  to  none  but  Washington, 
among  the  heroes  of  the  Revolution,  induced  him 


SECOND   MISSION  TO   ENGLAND.  219 

* 

promptly  to  accept  the  all  important  mission.  He 
allowed  but  twelve  days  to  prepare  for  his  embarka 
tion.  The  treasury  was  empty,  and  money  for  his 
expenses  had  to  be  raised  by  a  loan.  A  packet  ship, 
bound  for  London  was  riding  at  Chester,  fifteen  miles 
below  the  city.  Three  hundred  of  the  citizens  of 
Philadelphia,  on  horseback,  escorted  Franklin  to  the 
ship. 

He  seldom  attended  church,  though  he  always 
encouraged  his  wife  and  daughter  to  do  so.  It  was 
genteel ;  it  was  politic.  A  family  could  scarcely  com 
mand  the  respect  of  the  community,  which,  in  the 
midst  of  a  religious  people,  should  be  living  without 
any  apparent  object  of  worship.  The  preacher  of 
Christ  Church,  which  the  family  attended,  was  a  par 
tisan  of  the  Penns.  Sometimes  he  "  meddled  with 
politics."  Franklin  in  his  parting  letter,  from  on  ship 
board,  wrote  to  his  daughter : 

"  Go  constantly  to  church,  whoever  preaches. 
The  active  devotion  in  the  common  prayer-book,  is 
your  principal  business  there,  and  if  properly 
attended  to,  will  do  more  towards  amending  the 
heart,  than  sermons  generally  can  do.  For  they 
were  composed  by  men  of  much  greater  piety  and 
wisdom,  than  our  common  composers  of  sermons  can 
pretend  to  be.  Therefore  I  wish  that  you  would 
never  miss  the  prayer  days.  Yet  I  do  not  mean  you 


220  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

should  despise  sermons,  even  of  the  preachers  you 
dislike  ;  for  the  discourse  is  often  much  better  than 
the  man,  as  sweet  and  clear  waters  come  through 
very  dirty  earth." 

The  voyage  was  stormy ;  it  lasted  thirty  days. 
On  the  evening  of  the  tenth  of  December,  1764,  he 
again  took  up  his  residence  in  the  house  of  Mrs. 
Stephenson  and  her  daughter,  where  he  was  received 
with  delight.  He  found  several  other  agents  of  the 
colonies  in  London,  who  had  also  been  sent  to  re 
monstrate  against  the  despotic  measures  which  the 
British  Cabinet  threatened,  of  taxing  the  Americans 
at  its  pleasure,  without  allowing  them  to  have  any 
voice  in  deciding  upon  the  sums  which  they  should 

pay. 

Grenville  was  prime  minister.  He  was  about  to 
introduce  the  Stamp  Act,  as  an  initiatory  measure. 
It  imposed  but  a  trivial  tax,  in  itself  of  but  little 
importance,  but  was 'intended  as  an  experiment,  to 
ascertain  whether  the  Americans  would  submit  to 
the  principle.  This  fact  being  once  established,  the 
government  could  then  proceed  to  demand  money 
at  its  pleasure.  Franklin  opposed  the  tax  with  all 
his  energies.  He  declared  it,  in  his  own  forceful 
language,  to  be  the  "  mother  of  mischiefs."  With 
four  other  colonial  agents,  he  held  an  interview  with 
Lord  Grenville.  The  usual  arguments  were  employed 


SECOND   MISSION  TO   ENGLAND.  221 

on  both  sides.  Lord  Grenville  was  courteous,  but 
very  decided.  The  Americans  he  declared  must  help 
England  pay  the  interest  on  her  debt,  and  the 
parliament  of  Great  Britain  alone  could  decide  how 
large  an  amount  of  money  the  Americans  should  pay. 
The  bill  was  introduced  to  parliament,  and  passed  by 
a  large  majority.  The  king  signed  it  in  a  scrawling 
hand,  which  some  think  indicated  the  insanity  he 
was  beginning  to  develop. 

The  trivial  sum  expected  to  be  raised  by  the 
Stamp  Act  amounted  to  scarcely  one  hundred  thou 
sand  pounds  a  year.  It  was  thought  that  the  Amer 
icans  would  not  venture  upon  any  decisive  opposition 
to  England  for  such  a  trifle.  Franklin  wrote  to  a 
friend : 

"  I  took  every  step  in  my  power,  to  prevent  the 
passing  of  the  Stamp  Act.  But  the  tide  was  too 
strong  against  us.  The  nation  was  provoked  by 
American  claims  of  legislative  independence  ;  and  all 
parties  joined  in  resolving,  by  this  act,  to  settle  the 
point." 

Thus  Franklin  entirely  failed  in  arresting  the 
passing  of  the  Stamp  Act.  He  was  also  equally  un 
successful  in  his  endeavor  to  promote  a  change  of 
government,  from  the  proprietary  to  the  royal.  And 
still  his  mission  proved  a  success.  By  conversations, 
pamphlets  and  articles  in  the  newspapers,  he  raised 


222  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

throughout  the  country  such  an  opposition  to  the 
measure  that  parliament  was  compelled  to  repeal  it. 
The  tidings  of  the  passage  of  the  Stamp  Act  was 
received  in  intelligent  America,  with  universal  ex 
pressions  of  displeasure,  and  with  resolves  to  oppose 
its  operation  in  every  possible  way. 

It  is  remarked  of  a  celebrated  theological  pro 
fessor,  that  he  once  said  to  his  pupils, 

"  When  you  go  to  the  city  to  preach,  take  your 
best  coat ;  when  to  the  country,  take  your  best 
sermon." 

The  lords  and  gentry  of  England  were  astonished 
at  the  intelligence  displayed  in  the  opposition,  by 
the  rural  population  of  America.  They  fancied  the 
colonists  to  be  an  ignorant,  ragged  people,  living 
in  log  cabins,  scattered  through  the  wilderness,  and, 
in  social  position,  two  or  three  degrees  below  Eu 
ropean  and  Irish  peasantry.  Great  was  their  sur 
prise  to  hear  from  all  the  colonies,  and  from  the 
remotest  districts  in  each  colony,  the  voice  of  intel 
ligent  and  dignified  rebuke. 

The  Act  was  to  go  into  execution  on  the  first  of 
November,  1765.  Before  that  time,  Franklin  had 
spread,  through  all.  the  mechanical,  mercantile  and 
commercial  classes,  the  conviction  that  they  would 
suffer  ten-fold  more,  by  the  interruptions  of  trade 
which  the  Stamp  Act  would  introduce,  than  govern- 


SECOND   MISSION  TO   ENGLAND.  223 

ment  could  hope  to  gain  by  the  measure.  He  spread 
abroad  the  intelligence  which  came  by  every  fresh 
arrival,  that  the  Americans  were  resolving,  with  won 
derful  unanimity,  that  they  would  consume  no  more 
English  manufactures,  that  they  would  purchase  no 
more  British  goods,  and  that,  as  far  as  possible,  in 
food,  clothing,  and  household  furniture,  they  would 
depend  upon  their  own  productions.  They  had  even 
passed  resolves  to  eat  no  more  lamb,  that  their  flocks 
might  so  increase  that  they  should  have  wool 
enough  to  manufacture  their  own  clothing. 

England  had  thus  far  furnished  nearly  all  the 
supplies  for  the  rapidly  increasing  colonies,  already 
numbering  a  population  of  between  two  and  three 
millions.  The  sudden  cessation  of  this  trade  was 
felt  in  nearly  every  warehouse  of  industry.  No 
more  orders  came.  Goods  accumulated  without 
purchasers.  Violent  opposition  arose,  and  vast 
meetings  were  held  in  the  manufacturing  districts, 
to  remonstrate  against  the  measures  of  the  govern 
ment.  Edmund  Burke,  a  host  in  himself,  headed 
the  opposition  in  parliament. 

Burke  and  Franklin  were  intimate  friends,  and 
the  renowned  orator  obtained  from  the  renowned 
philosopher,  many  of  those  arguments  and  captiva 
ting  illustrations,  which,  uttered  on  the  floor  of  par 
liament,  astonished  England,  and  reaching  our 


224  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

shores,  electrified  America.  The  state  of  affairs 
became  alarming.  In  some  places  the  stamps  were 
destroyed,  in  others,  no  one  could  be  found  who 
would  venture  upon  the  obnoxious  task  of  offering 
to  sell  them.  The  parliament  resolved  itself  into  a 
committee  of  the  whole  house,  and  spent  six  weeks 
in  hearing  testimony  respecting  the  operation  of 
the  act  in  America.  The  hall  was  crowded  with 
eager  listeners.  The  industrial  prosperity  of  the 
nation  seemed  at  stake.  Franklin  was  the  princi 
pal  witness.  His  testimony  overshadowed  all  the 
rest.  The  record  of  it  was  read  with  admiration. 
Seldom  has  a  man  been  placed  in  a  more  embarrass 
ing  situation,  and  never  has  one,  under  such  circum 
stances,  acquitted  himself  more  triumphantly. 

He  was  examined  and  cross-examined,  before 
this  vast  and  imposing  assemblage,  by  the  shrewdest 
lawyers  of  the  crown.  Every  attempt  was  made  to 
throw  him  into  embarrassment,  to  trip  him  in  his 
speech.  But  never  for  a  moment  did  Franklin  lose 
his  self-possession.  Never  for  an  instant,  did  he 
hesitate  in  his  reply.  In  the  judgment  of  all  his 
friends,  not  a  mistake  did  he  make.  His  mind 
seemed  to  be  omnisciently  furnished,  with  all  the 
needful  statistics  for  as  rigorous  an  examination  as 
any  mortal  was  ever  exposed  to.  Burke  wrote  to  a 
friend,  "  that  Franklin,  as  he  stood  before  the  bar 


SECOND   MISSION   TO   ENGLAND.  225 

of  parliament,  presented  such  an  aspect  of  dignity 
and  intellectual  superiority,  as  to  remind  him  of  a 
schoolmaster  questioned  by  school  boys."  Rev. 
George  Whitefield  wrote, 

"  Our  worthy  friend,  Dr.  Franklin,  has  gained 
immortal  honor,  by  his  behavior  at  the  bar  of  the 
house.  The  answer  was  always  found  equal,  if  not 
superior  to  the  questioner.  He  stood  unappalled, 
gave  pleasure  to  his  friends,  and  did  honor  to  his 
country." 

After  great  agitation  and  many  and  stormy 
debates,  the  haughty  government  was  compelled  to 
yield  to  the  demands  of  the  industrial  classes. 
Indeed,  with  those  in  England,  who  cried  most 
loudly  for  the  repeal  of  the  stamp  act,  there  were 
comparatively  few  who  were  influenced  by  any  sym 
pathy  for  the  Americans,  or  by  any  appreciation  of 
the  justice  of  their  cause.  The  loss  of  the  American 
trade  was  impoverishing  them.  Selfish  considera 
tions  alone, — their  own  personal  interests — moved 
them  to  action. 

There  were  individuals,  in  and  out  of  Parliament, 
who  recognized  the  rights  of  Englishmen,  and 
regarding  the  Americans  as  Englishmen,  and  Amer 
ica  as  a  portion  of  the  British  empire,  were  in  heart 
and  with  all  their  energies,  in  sympathy  with  the 
Americans  in  their  struggle  for  their  rights.  When 


226  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

the  despotism  of  the  British  court  led  that  court  to 
the  infamous  measure  of  sending  fleets  and  armies, 
to  compel  the  Americans  to  submission,  and  the 
feeble  colonists,  less  than  three  millions  in  number, 
performing  the  boldest  and  most  heroic  deeds  ever 
yet  recorded  in  history,  grasped  their  arms  in  self- 
defence,  thus  to  wage  war  against  the  most  power 
ful  naval  and  military  empire  upon  this  globe,  Lord 
Chatham,  with  moral  courage  rarely  surpassed, 
boldly  exclaimed  in  the  House  of  Lords,  "  Were  I 
an  American,  as  I  am  an  Englishman,  I  would  never 
lay  down  my  arms,  never,  never,  NEVER." 

In  all  England,  there  wras  no  man  more  deter 
mined  in  his  resolve  to  bring  the  Americans  to  ser 
vile  obedience,  than  the  stubborn  king,  George  III. 
The  repeal  gave  him  intense  offence.  The  equally 
unprincipled,  but  more  intelligent,  ministers  were 
compelled  to  the  measure,  as  they  saw  clearly  that 
England  was  menaced  with  civil  war,  which  would 
array  the  industrial  classes  generally  against  the 
aristocracy.  In  such  a  conflict  it  was  far  from  im 
probable  that  the  aristocracy  would  be  brought  to 
grief.  Horace  Walpole  wrote, 

"  It  was  the  clamor  of  trade,  of  merchants, 
and  of  manufacturing  towns,  that  had  borne  down 
all  opposition.  A  general  insurrection  was  appre 
hended,  as  the  immediate  consequence  of  upholding 


SECOND    MISSION  TO   ENGLAND.  22/ 

the  bill.  The  revolt  of  America,  and  the  destruc 
tion  of  trade,  was  the  prospect  in  future/' 

Still  the  question  of  the  repeal  was  carried  in 
the  House  but  by  a  majority  of  one  hundred  and 
eight  votes.  Of  course  Franklin  now  solicited 
permission  to  return  home.  The  Assembly,  instead 
of  granting  his  request,  elected  him  agent  for  ano 
ther  year.  It  does  not  appear  that  Franklin  was 
disappointed. 

The  report  of  his  splendid  and  triumphant  exam 
ination,  before  the  Commons,  and  the  republication 
of  many  of  his  pamphlets,  had  raised  him  to  the 
highest  position  of  popularity.  The  Americans, 
throughout  all  the  provinces,  received  tidings  of  the 
Repeal  with  unbounded  delight.  Bells  were  rung, 
bon-fires  blazed,  cannon  were  fired. 

"  I  never  heard  so  much  noise  in  my  life,"  wrote 
Sally  to  her  "  honored  papa."  "  The  very  children 
seemed  distracted." 

The  Tory  party  in  England  developed  no  little 
malignity  in  their  anger,  in  view  of  the  discomfiture 
of  their  plans.  The  bigoted  Tory,  Dr.  Johnson, 
wrote  to  Bishop  White  of  Pennsylvania,  that  if  he 
had  been  Prime  Minister,  instead  of  repealing  the 
art,  he  would  have  sent  a  man-of-war,  and  laid  one 
or  more  of  our  largest  cities  in  ashes.* 

*  Wilson's  Life  of  Bishop  White,  p.  89. 


228  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

The  king  felt  personally  aggrieved.  His  de 
nunciations  of  those  who  favored  the  Repeal  were 
so  indecent,  that  some  of  his  most  influential  friends 
ventured  to  intimate  to  him  that  it  was  highly  im 
politic.  Indeed,  as  the  previous  narrative  has 
shown,  many  who  were  in  entire  sympathy  with  the 
king,  and  who  were  bitterly  opposed  to  any  conces 
sion  to  the  Americans,  felt  compelled  to  vote  for 
the  Repeal. 

To  propitiate  the  unrelenting  and  half-crazed 
monarch,  with  his  obdurate  court,  a  Declaratory 
Act,  as  it  was  called,  was  passed,  which  affirmed  the 
absolute  supremacy  of  Parliament  over  the  colonies. 

We  hear  very  much  of  the  corruption  of  our  own 
Congress.  It  is  said  that  votes  are  sometimes 
bought  and  sold.  Sir  Nathaniel  Wraxall,  who  was 
a  member  of  Parliament  during  all  this  period, 
declares,  in  his  intensely  interesting  and  undoubted 
ly  honest  Memoir,  that  under  the  ministry  of  Lord 
Bute,  Ross  Mackay  was  employed  by  him  as  "  cor- 
rupter-general "  whose  mission  it  was  to  carry 
important  measures  of  government  by  bribery. 
Wraxall  writes  that  Ross  Mackay  said  to  him,  at  a 
dinner  party  given  by  Lord  Besborough,  as  the 
illustrious  guests  were  sipping  their  wine, 

"The  peace  of  1763  was  carried  through  and 
approved  by  a  pecuniary  dispensation.  Nothing 


SECOND   MISSION  TO   ENGLAND.  229 

else  could  have  surmounted  the  difficulty.  I  was 
myself  the  channel  through  which  the  money 
passed.  With  my  own  hand  I  secured  above  one 
hundred  and  twenty  votes  on  that  most  important 
question  to  ministers.  Eighty  thousand  pounds 
were  set  apart  for  the  purpose.  Forty  members  of 
the  House  of  Commons  received  from  me  a  thou 
sand  pounds  each.  To  eighty  others  I  paid  five 
hundred  pounds  a-piece." 

The  unrelenting  king  was  still  determined  that 
the  Americans,  unrepresented  in  Parliament,  should 
still  pay  into  his  treasury  whatever  sums  of  money 
he  might  exact.  Calling  to  his  aid  courtiers  more 
shrewd  than  himself,  they  devised  a  very  cunning 
act,  to  attain  that  object  in  a  way  which  would 
hardly  be  likely  to  excite  opposition.  They  laid  a 
tax,  insignificant  really  in  its  amount,  upon  paper, 
paint,  glass,  and  tea.  This  tax  was  to  be  collected 
at  the  custom-houses  in  the  few  ports  of  entry  in  the 
colonies.  The  whole  amount  thus  raised  would  not 
exceed  forty  thousand  pounds.  It  was  thought 
that  the  Americans  would  never  make  opposition  to 
so  trivial  a  payment. 

But  it  established  a  principle  that  England  could 
tax  the  colonies  without  allowing  those  colonies  any 
representation  in  Parliament.  If  the  Court  had  a 
right  thus  to  demand  forty  thousand  pounds,  they 


230  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

had  a  right  to  demand  so  many  millions,  should  it 
seem  expedient  to  king  and  cabinet  so  to  do. 

The  great  blunder  which  the  court  committed, 
was  in  not  appreciating  the  wide-spread  intelligence 
of  the  American  people.  In  New  England  particu 
larly,  and  throughout  the  colonies  generally,  there 
was  scarcely  a  farmer  who  did  not  perceive  the  trick, 
and  despise  it.  They  deemed  it  an  insult  to  their 
intelligence. 

Instantly  there  arose,  throughout  all  the  provin 
ces,  the  most  determined  opposition  to  the  measure. 
It  was  in  fact  merely  a  renewal  of  the  Stamp  Act, 
under  slightly  modified  forms.  If  they  admitted 
the  justice  of  this  act,  it  was  only  declaring  that 
they  had  acted  with  unpardonable  folly,  in  opposing 
the  tax  under  the  previous  form. 

Dr.  Franklin,  with  honest  shrewdness,  not  with 
trickery  or  with  cunning,  but  with  a  sincere  and  pen 
etrating  mind,  eagerly  scrutinized  all  the  measures 
of  the  Court.  George  IH.  was  a  gentleman.  He 
was  irreproachable  in  all  his  domestic  relations.  He 
was,  in  a  sense,  conscientious ;  for  certainly  he  was 
not  disposed  to  do  anything  which  he  thought  to  be 
wrong.  Conscientious  men  have  burned  their  fel 
low-Christians  at  the  stake.  It  is  said  that  George 
the  Third  was  a  Christian.  He  certainly  was  a  full 
believer  in  the  religion  of  Jesus  Christ ;  and  earnest- 


SECOND    MISSION  TO   ENGLAND.  231 

ly  advocated  the  support  and  extension  of  that  reli 
gion.  God  makes  great  .allowance  for  the  frailties 
of  his  fallen  children.  It  requires  the  wisdom  of 
omniscience  to  decide  how  much  wickedness  there 
may  be  in  the  heart,  consistently  with  piety.  No 
man  is  perfect. 

During  the  reign  of  George  III.,  terrible  wars 
were  waged  throughout  all  the  world,  mainly  incited 
by  the  British  Court.  Millions  perished.  The 
moans  of  widows  and  orphans  ascended  from  every 
hand.  This  wicked  Christian  king  sent  his  navy 
and  his  army  to  burn  down  our  cities  and  villages, 
and  to  shoot  husbands,  fathers,  and  sons,  until  he 
could  compel  America  to  submit  to  his  despotism. 
The  population  of  England  being  exhausted  by  those 
wide  spread  wars,  he  hired,  of  the  petty  princes  of 
Europe,  innocent  peasantry,  to  abandon  their  homes 
in  Germany,  to  burn  and  destroy  the  homes  of 
Americans.  Fnding  that  not  sufficient,  he  sent  his 
agents  through  the  wilderness  to  rouse,  by  bribes, 
savage  men,  who  knew  no  better,  to  rayage  our 
frontiers,  to  burn  the  cabins  of  lonely  farmers,  to 
tomahawk  and  scalp  their  wives  and  children. 

Such  a  man  may  be  a  good  Christian.  God,  who 
can  read  the  secrets  of  the  heart,  and  who  is  infinite 
in  his  love  and  charity,  alone  can  decide.  But  if 
we  imagine  that  man,  George  Guelph,  at  the  bar  of 


232  BENJAMIN    FRANKLIN. 

judgment,  and  thronging  up  as  witnesses  against 
him,  the  millions  whose  earthly  homes  he  converted 
into  abodes  of  misery  and  despair,  it  is  difficult  to 
imagine  in  our  frail  natures,  how  our  Heavenly  Fa 
ther,  who  loves  all  his  children  alike,  and  who,  as 
revealed  in  the  person  of  Jesus,  could  weep  over  the 
woes  of  humanity,  could  look  writh  a  loving  smile 
upon  him  and  say,  "  Well  done,  good  and  faithful 
servant,  enter  thou  into  the  joy  of  thy  Lord." 

Franklin  of  course  continued  in  as  determined  an 
opposition  to  the  new  tax  as  to  the  old  one.  He 
wrote, 

"  I  have  some  little  property  in  America.  I  will 
freely  spend  nineteen  shillings  in  the  pound  to  defend 
my  right  of  giving  or  refusing  the  other  shilling. 
And  after  all,  if  I  cannot  defend  that  right,  I  can 
retire  cheerfully  with  my  little  family  into  the  bound 
less  woods  of  America,  which  are  sure  to  afford  free 
dom  and  subsistence  to  any  man  who  can  bait  a  hook 
or  pull  a  trigger." 

The  ability  which  Franklin  had  displayed  as  the 
agent  of  Pennsylvania  before  the  court  of  St.  James, 
gave  him,  as  we  have  said,  a  high  reputation  in  all 
the  colonies.  In  the  spring  of  1768  he  was  highly 
gratified  by  the  intelligence  that  he  was  appointed, 
by  the  young  colony  of  Georgia,  its  London  agent. 
The  next  year  New  Jersey  conferred  the  same  honor 


SECOND   MISSION   TO   ENGLAND.  233 

upon  him,  and  the  year  after,  he  was  appointed  agent 
of  his  native  province  of  Massachusetts.  These 
several  appointments  detained  him  ten  years  in  Eng 
land. 

During  all  this  time  he  did  not  visit  home.  The 
equanimity  of  his  joyful  spirit  seems  never  to  have 
been  disturbed.  His  pen  describes  only  pleasant 
scenes.  No  murmurs  are  recorded,  no  yearnings  of 
home-sickness. 

But  month  after  month  the  animosity  of  the  Brit 
ish  Court  towards  the  Americans  was  increasing. 
The  king  grew  more  and  more  fixed  in  his  purpose, 
to  compel  the  liberty-loving  Americans  to  submis 
sion.  Hostile  movements  were  multiplied  to  indicate 
that  if  the  opposition  to  his  measures  was  continued,. 
English  fleets  and  armies  would  soon  commence 
operations. 

Several  thousand  troops  were  landed  in  Boston. 
Fourteen  men-of-war  were  anchored  before  the  town, 
with  the  cannon  of  their  broad-sides  loaded  and 
primed,  ready,  at  the  sligktest  provocation  to  lay  the 
whole  town  in  ashes.  Protected  by  this  terrible 
menace,  two  British  regiments  paraded  the  streets, 
with  their  muskets  charged,  with  gleaming  sabres  and 
bayonets,  with  formidable  artillery  prepared  to  vomit 
forth  the  most  horrible  discharges  of  grape  shot,  with 
haughty  English  officers  well  mounted,  and  soldiers 


234  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

and  officers  alike  in  imposing  uniforms.  This  invin 
cible  band  of  highly  disciplined  soldiers,  as  a  peace 
measure,  took  possession  of  the  Common,  the  State 
House,  the  Court  House  and  Faneuil  Hall. 

Even  now,  after  the  lapse  of  more  than  a  hundred 
years,  it  makes  the  blood  of  an  American  boil  to  •con 
template  this  insult.  Who  can  imagine  the  feelings 
of  exasperation  that  must  have  glowed  in  the  bosoms 
of  our  patriotic  fathers  ! 

Franklin,  in  England,  was  treated  with  ever  in 
creasing  disrespect.  Lord  Hillsborough,  then  in 
charge  of  American  affairs,  told  him  peremptorily, 
even  insolently,  that  America  could  expect  no  favors 
while  he  himself  was  in  power,  and  that  he  was  de 
termined  to  persevere  with  firmness  in  the  policy 
which  the  king  was  pursuing.  The  king  was  so 
shielded  by  his  ministers  that  Franklin  knew  but 
little  about  him.  Even  at  this  time  he  wrote, 

"  I  can  scarcely  conceive  a  king  of  better  dispo 
sitions,  of  more  exemplary  virtues,  or  more  truly 
desirous  of  promoting  the  welfare  of  his  subjects." 

Franklin  never  had  occasion  to  speak  ndiffer- 
ently  of  his  domestic  virtues.  Nay,  it  is  more  than 
probable  that  the  king  daily,  in  prayer,  looked  to 
God  for  guidance,  and  that  he  thought  that  he  was 
doing  that  which  was  promotive  of  the  interests  of 
England.  Alas  for  man !  He  can  perpetrate  the 


SECOND   MISSION  TO   ENGLAND.  235 

most  atrocious  crimes,  honestly  believing  that  he  is 
doing  God's  will.  He  can  burn  aged  women  under 
the  charge  of  their  being  witches.  He  can  torture, 
in  the  infliction  of  unutterable  anguish,  his  brother 
man — mothers  and  daughters,  under  the  charge  of 
heresy.  He  can  hurl  hundreds  of  thousands  of  men 
against  each  other  in  most  horrible  and  woe-inflict 
ing  wars,  while  falling  upon  his  knees  and  praying 
to  God  to  bless  his  murderous  armies. 

Franklin  had  with  him  his  grandson,  William 
Temple  Franklin,  the  dishonored  son  of  William 
Franklin,  then  Governor  of  New  Jersey.  He  was  a 
bright  and  promising  boy,  and  developed  an  estima 
ble  character,  under  the  guidance  of  his  grandfather, 
who  loved  him. 

William  Franklin  in  New  Jersey  was,  however, 
becoming  increasingly  the  scourge  of  his  father.  It 
would  seem  that  Providence  was  thus,  in  some 
measure,  punishing  Franklin  for  his  sin.  The  gov 
ernor,  appointed  by  the  Court  of  England  to  his 
office,  which  he  highly  prized,  and  which  he  feared 
to  lose,  was  siding  with  the  Court.  He  perceived 
that  the  storm  of  political  agitation  was  increasing 
in  severity.  He  felt  that  the  power  of  the  colonies 
was  as  nothing  compared  with  the  power  of  the 
British  government.  Gradually  he  became  one  of 
the  most  violent  of  the  tories. 


236  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

The  moderation  of  Franklin,  and  his  extraordi 
narily  charitable  disposition,  led  him  to  refrain  from 
all  denunciations  of  his  ungrateful  son,  or  even 
reproaches,  until  his  conduct  became  absolutely  in 
famous.  In  17/3,  he  wrote,  in  reference  to  the 
course  which  the  governor  was  pursuing, 

"  I  only  wish  you  to  act  uprightly  and  steadily, 
avoiding  that  duplicity  which,  in  Hutchinson,  adds 
contempt  to  indignation.  If  you  can  promote  the 
prosperity  of  your  people,  and  leave  them  happier 
than  you  found  them,  whatever  your  political  prin 
ciples  are,  your  memory  will  be  honored." 

While  Franklin  was  absent,  a  young  merchant 
of  Philadelphia,  Richard  Bache,  offered  his  hand  to 
Franklin's  only  daughter,  from  whom  the  father  had 
been  absent  nearly  all  of  her  life.  Sarah  was  then 
twenty-three  years  of  age,  so  beautiful  as  to  become 
quite  a  celebrity,  and  she  was  highly  accomplished. 
Mr.  Bache  was  not  successful  in  business,  and  the 
young  couple  resided  under  the  roof  of  Mrs.  Frank 
lin  for  eight  years.  The  husband,  with  an  increas 
ing  family,  appealed  to  his  illustrious  father-in-law, 
to  obtain  for  him  a  governmental  appointment. 
Franklin  wrote  to  his  daughter, 

"  I  am  of  opinion,  that  almost  any  profession  a 
man  has  been  educated  in,  is  preferable  to  an  office 
held  at  pleasure,  as  rendering  him  more  independ- 


SECOND   MISSION  TO  ENGLAND.  237 

ent,  more  a  free  man,  and  less  subject  to  the  ca 
prices  of  his  superiors.  I  think  that  in  keeping  a 
store,  if  it  be  where  you  dwell,  you  can  be  service 
able  to  him,  as  your  mother  was  to  me  ;  for  you  are 
not  deficient  in  capacity,  and  I  hope  you  are  not 
too  proud.  You  might  easily  learn  accounts  ;  and 
you  can  copy  letters,  or  write  them  very  well  on 
occasion.  By  industry  and  frugality  you  may  get 
forward  in  the  world,  being  both  of  you  very  young. 
And  then  what  we  may  leave  you  at  our  death,  will 
be  a  pretty  addition,  though  of  itself  far  from  suffi 
cient  to  maintain  and  bring  up  a  family." 

Franklin  gave  his  son-in-law  about  a  thousand 
dollars  to  assist  him  in  the  purchase  of  a  stock  of 
merchandise.  The  children,  born  to  this  happy 
couple,  were  intelligent  and  beautiful,  and  they 
greatly  contributed  to  the  happiness  of  their  grand 
mother,  who  cherished  them  with  a  grandmother's 
most  tender  love.  In*  the  year  1862,  there  were  one 
hundred  and  ten  surviving  descendants  of  Richard 
Bache  and  Sarah  Franklin.  Ten  of  these  were 
serving  in  the  Union  army  perilling  their  lives  to 
maintain  that  national  fabric,  which  their  illustrious 
ancestor  had  done  so  much  to  establish.  Franklin 
was  by  no  means  a  man  of  one  idea.  His  compre 
hensive  mind  seemed  to  grasp  all  questions  of 
statesmanship,  of  philanthropy,  of  philosophy. 


238  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

During  the  ten  years  of  his  residence  in  England 
he  visited  the  hospitals,  carefully  examined  their 
management,  and  transmitted  to  his  home  the  re 
sult  of  his  observations.  This  was  probably  the 
origin  of  the  celebrity  which  the  medical  schools  of 
Philadelphia  have  attained.  .  He  visited  the  silk 
manufactories,  and  urged  the  adoption  of  that 
branch  of  industry,  as  peculiarly  adapted  to  our 
climate  and  people.  Ere  long  he  had  the  pleasure 
of  presenting  to  the  queen  a  piece  of  American  silk, 
which  she  accepted  and  wore  as  a  dress.  As  silk 
was  an  article  not  produced  in  England,  the  govern 
ment  was  not  offended  by  the  introduction  of  that 
branch  of  industry.  For  Hartford  college  he  pro 
cured  a  telescope,  which  cost  about  five  hundred 
dollars.  This  was,  in  those  days,  an  important 
event. 

The  renowned  Captain  Cook  returned  from  his 
first  voyage  around  the  world.  The  narrative  of  his 
adventures,  in  the  discovery  of  new  islands,  and 
new  races  of  men,  excited  almost  every  mind  in 
England  and  America.  Franklin  was  prominent  in 
the  movement,  to  raise  seventy-five  thousand  dol 
lars,  to  fit  out  an  expedition  to  send  to  those  be 
nighted  islanders  the  fowls,  the  quadrupeds  and  the 
seeds  of  Europe.  He  wrote,  in  an  admirable  strain, 

"  Many  voyages    have    been    undertaken    with 


SECOND   MISSION  TO   ENGLAND.  239 

views  of  profit  or  of  plunder,  or  to  gratify  resent 
ment.  But  a  voyage  is  now  proposed  to  visit  a  dis 
tant  people  on  the  other  side  of  the  globe,  not  to 
cheat  them,  not  to  rob  them :  not  to  seize  their 
lands  or  to  enslave  their  persons,  but  merely  to  do 
them  good,  and  make  them,  as  far  as  in  our  power 
lies,  to  live  as  comfortable  as  ourselves." 

There  can  be  no  national  prosperity  'without 
virtue.  There  can  not  be  a  happy  people  who  do 
not  "  do  justly,  love  mercy,  and  walk  humbly  with 
God."  It  was  a  noble  enterprise  to  send  to  those 
naked  savages  corn  and  hoes,  with  horses,  pigs  and 
poultry.  But  the  Christian  conscience  awoke  to  the 
conviction  that  something  more  than  this  was 
necessary.  They  sent,  to  the  dreary  huts  of  the 
Pacific,  ambassadors  of  the  religion  of  Jesus,  to 
gather  the  children  in  schools,  to  establish  the 
sanctity  of  the  family  relation,  and  to  proclaim  to  all, 
the  glad  tidings  of  that  divine  Saviour,  who  has 
come  to  earth  "  to  seek  and  to  save  the  lost." 


CHAPTER  XL 

The  Intolerance  of  King  and  Court. 

Parties  in  England — Franklin  the  favorite  of  the  opposition — Plans 
of  the  Tories — Christian  III — Letter  of  Franklin — Dr.  Priestley — 
Parisian  courtesy — Louis  XV — Visit  to  Ireland — Attempted  al 
teration  of  the  Prayer  Book — Letter  to  his  son — Astounding  let 
ters  from  America — Words  of  John  Adams — Petition  of  the 
Assembly — Violent  conspiracy  against  Franklin — His  bearing  in 
the  court-room — Wedderburn's  infamous  charges — Letter  of 
Franklin — Bitter  words  of  Dr.  Johnson — Morals  of  English 
lords — Commercial  value  of  the  Colonies — Dangers  threatening 
Franklin. 

WHEREVER  there  is  a  government  there  must  be 
an  opposition.  Those  who  are  out  of  office  wish  to 
eject  those  in  office,  that  they  may  take  their  places. 
There  was  a  pretty  strong  party  in  what  was  called 
the  Opposition.  But  it  was  composed  of  persons 
animated  by  very  different  motives.  The  first  con 
sisted  of  those  intelligent,  high  minded,  virtuous 
statesmen,  who  were  indignant  in  view  of  the  wrong 
which  the  haughty,  unprincipled  Tory  government 
was  inflicting  upon  the  American  people.  The  sec 
ond  gathered  those  who  were  in  trade.  They  cared 
nothing  for  the  Americans.  They  cared  nothing 


THE   INTOLERANCE   OF  KING  AND   COURT.      241 

for  government  right  or  wrong.-  They  wished  to 
sell  their  hats,  their  cutlery,  and  their  cotton  and 
woolen  goods  to  the  Americans.  This  they  could 
not  do  while  government  was  despotically  enforcing 
the  Stamp  Act  or  the  Revenue  Bill.  Then  came  a 
third  class,  who  had  no  goods  to  sell,  and  no  con 
science  to  guide  to  action.  They  were  merely  am 
bitious  politicians.  They  wished  to  thrust  the 
Tories  out  of  office  simply  that  they  might  rush  into 
the  occupancy  of  all  the  places  of  honor,  emolument 
or  power. 

Franklin  was  in  high  favor  with  the  opposition. 
He  furnished  their  orators  in  Parliament  with  argu 
ments,  with  illustrations,  with  f  accurate  statistical 
information.  Many  of  the  most  telling  passages  in 
parliamentary  speeches,  were  placed  on  the  lips  of 
the  speakers  by  Benjamin  Franklin.  He  wrote  pam 
phlets  of  marvellous  popular  power,  which  were  read 
in  all  the  workshops,  and  greatly  increased  the  num 
ber  and  the  intelligence  of  the  foes  of  the  govern 
ment  measures.  Thus  Franklin  became  the  favorite 
of  the  popular  party.  They  lavished  all  honors  upon 
him.  In  the  same  measure  he  became  obnoxious  to 
the  haughty,  aristocratic  Tory  government.  Its 
ranks  were  filled  with  the  lords,  the  governmental 
officials,  and  all  their  dependents.  This  made  a 
party  very  powerful  in  numbers,  and  still  more  pow- 
ii 


242  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

erful  in  wealth  and  influence.  They  were  watching 
for  opportunities  to  traduce  Franklin,  to  ruin  his  rep 
utation,  and  if  possible,  to  bring  him  into  contempt. 

This  will  explain  the  honors  which  were  conferred 
upon  him  by  one  party,  and  the  indignities  to  which 
he  was  subjected  from  the  other.  At  times,  the 
Tories  would  make  efforts  by  flattery,  by  offers  of  po 
sition,  of  emolument,  by  various  occult  forms  of 
bribery,  to  draw  Franklin  to  their  side.  He  might 
very  easily  have  attained  almost  any  amount  of 
wealth  and  high  official  dignity. 

The  king  of  Denmark,  Christian  VII.,  was  broth 
er-in-law  of  George  III.  He  visited  England  ;  a 
mere  boy  in  yearst  and  still  more  a  weak  boy  in 
insipidity  of  character.  A  large  dinner-party  was 
given  in  his  honor  at  the  Royal  Palace.  Franklin 
was  one  of  the  guests.  In  some  way  unexplained, 
he  impressed  the  boy-king  with  a  sense  of  his  inher 
ent  and  peculiar  greatness.  Christian  invited  a  select 
circle  of  but  sixteen  men  to  dine  with  him.  Among 
those  thus  carefully  selected,  Franklin  was  honored 
with  an  invitation.  Though  sixty-seven  years  of  age 
he  still  enjoyed  in  the  highest  degree,  convivial 
scenes.  He  could  tell  stories,  and  sing  songs  which 
gave  delight  to  all.  It  was  his  boast  that  he  could 
empty  his  two  bottles  of  wine,  and  still  retain  entire 
sobriety.  He  wrote  to  Hugh  Roberts, 


THE  INTOLERANCE    OF  KING  AND   COURT.      243 

"  I  wish  you  would  continue  to  meet  the  Junto. 
It  wants  but  about  two  years  of  forty  since  it  was 
established.  We  loved,  and  still  love  one  another ; 
we  have  grown  grey  together,  and  yet  it  is  too  early 
to  part.  Let  us  sit  till  the  evening  of  life  is  spent ; 
the  last  hours  are  always  the  most  joyous.  When 
we  can  stay  no  longer,  it  is  time  enough  to  bid  each 
other  good  night,  separate,  and  go  quietly  to  bed." 

Franklin  was  the  last  person  to  find  any  enjoyment 
in  the  society  of  vulgar  and  dissolute  men.  In  those 
days,  it  was  scarcely  a  reproach  for  a  young  lord  to 
be  carried  home  from  a  festivity  in  deadly  intoxica 
tion.  Witticisms  were  admitted  into  such  circles 
which  respectable  men  would  not  tolerate  now. 
Franklin's  most  intimate  friends  in  London  were  found 
among  Unitarian  clergymen,  and  those  philosophers 
who  were  in  sympathy  with  him  in  his  rejection  of  the 
Christian  religion.  Dr.  Richard  Price,  and  Dr.  Joseph 
Priestly,  men  both  eminent  for  intellectual  ability 
and  virtues,  were  his  bosom  friends. 

Dr.  Priestly,  who  had  many  conversations  with 
Franklin  upon  religious  topics,  deeply  deplored  the 
looseness  of  his  views.  Though  Dr.  Priestly  rejected 
the  divinity  of  Christ,  he  still  firmly  adhered  to  the 
belief  that  Christianity  was  of  divine  origin.  In  his 
autobiography,  Dr.  Priestly  writes  : 

"  It  is  much  to  be  lamented  that  a  man  of  Dr. 


244  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

Franklin's  generally  good  character  and  great  influ 
ence,  should  have  been  an  unbeliever  in  Christianity, 
and  also  have  done  so  much  as  he  did  to  make  others 
unbelievers.  To  me,  however,  he  acknowledged  that 
he  had  not  given  so  much  attention  as  he  ought  to 
have  done  to  the  evidences  of  Christianity  ;  and  he 
desired  me  to  recommend  him  a  few  treatises  on  the 
subject,  such  as  I  thought  most  deserving  his  notice." 

Priestly  did  so  ;  but  Franklin,  all  absorbed  in  his 
social  festivities,  his  scientific  researches,  and  his  in 
tense  patriotic  labors,  could  find  no  time  to  devote 
to  that  subject — the  immortal  destiny  of  man, — 
which  is  infinitely  more  important  to  each  individual 
than  all  others  combined.*  It  was  indeed  a  sad 
circle  of  unbelievers,  into  whose  intimacy  Franklin 
was  thrown.  Dr.  Priestly  writes, 

"  In  Paris,  in  17/4,  all  the  philosophical  persons  to 
whom  I  was  introduced,  were  unbelievers  in  Chris- 

*  Mr.  Parton,  in  his  excellent  Life  of  Franklin,  one  of  the  best 
biographies  which  was  ever  written,  objects  to  this  withholding  of  the 
Christian  name  from  Dr.  Franklin.  He  writes, 

"  I  do  not  understand  what  Dr.  Priestly  meant,  by  saying  that 
Franklin  was  an  unbeliever  in  Christianity,  since  he  himself  was 
open  to  the  same  charge  from  nine-tenths  of  the  inhabitants  of  Chris 
tendom.  Perhaps,  if  the  two  men  were  now  alive,  we  might  express 
the  theological  difference  between  them  by  saying  that  Priestly  was  a 
Unitarian  of  the  Channing  school,  and  Franklin  of  that  of  Theodore 
Parker.  Again  he  writes,  "  I  have  ventured  to  call  Franklin  the  con 
summate  Christian  of  his  time.  Indeed  I  know  not  who,  of  any 
time,  has  exhibited  more  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ." — Parton 's  Franklin 
Vol.  i./.  546.  Vol.  2. p.  646. 


THE  INTOLERANCE   OF  KING  AND   COURT.      245 

tianity,  and  even  professed  atheists.  I  was  told  by 
some  of  them,  that  I  was  the  only  person  they  had 
ever  met,  of  whose  understanding  they  had  any 
opinion,  who  professed  to  believe  in  Christianity. 
But  I  soon  found  they  did  not  really  know  what 
Christianity  was." 

It  was  Franklin's  practice  to  spend  a  part  of 
every  summer  in  traveling.  In  1767,  accompanied 
by  Sir  John  Pringle,  he  visited  Paris.  With  Frank 
lin,  one  of  the  first  of  earthly  virtues  was  courtesy. 
He  was  charmed  with  the  politeness  of  the  French 
people.  Even  the  most  humble  of  the  working 
classes,  were  gentlemanly  ;  and  from  the  highest 
to  the  lowest,  he,  simply  as  a  stranger,  was  treated 
with  consideration  which  surprised  him.  He  writes, 

"  The  civilities  we  everywhere  receive,  give  us 
the  strongest  impressions  of  the  French  politeness. 
It  seems  to  be  a  point  settled  here  universally,  that 
strangers  are  to  be  treated  with  respect ;  and  one 
has  just  the  same  deference  shown  one  here,  by 
being  a  stranger,  as  in  England,  by  being  a  lady." 

Two  dozen  bottles  of  port-wine  were  given  them 
at  Bordeaux.  These,  as  the  law  required,  were 
seized  by  the  custom-house  officers,  as  they  entered 
Paris  by  the  Porte  St.  Denis  ;  but  as  soon  as  it  was 
ascertained  that  they  were  strangers,  the  wine  was 
remitted. 


246  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

There  was  a  magnificent  illumination  of  the 
Church  of  Notre  Dame,  in  honor  of  the  deceased 
Dauphiness.  Thousands  could  not  obtain  admission. 
An  officer,  learning  merely  that  they  were  strangers, 
took  them  in  charge,  conducted  them  through  the 
vast  edifice,  and  showed  them  every  thing. 

Franklin  and  his  companion  had  the  honor  of  a 
presentation  to  the  king,  Louis  XV.,  at  Versailles. 
This  monarch  was  as  vile  a  man  as  ever  occupied  a 
throne.  But  he  had  the  virtue  of  courtesy,  which 
Franklin  placed  at  the  head  of  religious  principle. 
The  philosopher  simply  records, 

"  The  king  spoke  to  both  of  us  very  graciously 
and  very  cheerfully.  He  is  a  handsome  man,  has  a 
very  lively  look,  and  appears  younger  than  he  is." 

In  1772,  Franklin  visited  Ireland.  He  was 
treated  there  with  great  honor ;  but  the  poverty  of 
the  Irish  peasantry  overwhelmed  his  benevolent 
heart  with  astonishment  and  dismay.  He  writes, 

"  I  thought  often  of  the  happiness  of  New  Eng 
land,  where  every  man  is  a  free-holder,  has  a  vote  in 
public  affairs,  lives  in  a  tidy,  warm  house,  has  plenty 
of  good  food  and  fuel,  with  whole  clothes  from  head 
to  foot,  the  manufacture  perhaps  of  his  own  family. 
Long  may  they  continue  in  this  situation/' 

In  the  year  1773,  Franklin  spent  several  weeks 
in  the  beautiful  mansion  of  his  friend,  Lord  Despen- 


THE   INTOLERANCE  OF    KING  AND   COURT.      247 

cer.  We  read  with  astonishment,  that  Franklin, 
who  openly  renounced  all  belief  in  the  divine  origin 
of  Christianity,  should  have  undertaken,  with  Lord 
Despencer,  an  abbreviation  of  the  prayer-book  of 
the  Church  of  England.  It  is  surprising,  that  he 
could  have  thought  it  possible,  that  the  eminent 
Christians,  clergy  and  laity  of  that  church,  would 
accept  at  the  hands  of  a  deist,  their  form  of  worship. 
But  Franklin  was  faithful  in  the  abbreviation,  not  to 
make  the  slightest  change  in  the  evangelical  charac 
ter  of  that  admirable  work,  which  through  ages  has 
guided  the  devotion  of  millions.  The  abbreviated 
service,  cut  down  one-half,  attracted  no  attention, 
and  scarcely  a  copy  was  sold. 

At  this  time,  Franklin's  reputation  was  in  its 
meridian  altitude.  There  was  scarcely  a  man  in 
Europe  or  America,  more  prominent.  Every  learned 
body  in  Europe,  of  any  importance,  had  elected  him 
a  member.  Splendid  editions  of  his  works  were 
published  in  London  ;  and  three  editions  were  issued 
from  the  press  in  Paris. 

In  France,  Franklin  met  with  no  insults,  with  no 
opposition.  All  alike  smiled  upon  him,  and  the 
voices  of  commendation  alone  fell  upon  his  ear. 

Returning  to  England,  his  reputation  there,  as  a 
man  of  high  moral  worth,  and  of  almost  the  highest 
intellectual  attainments,  and  a  man  honored  in  the 


248  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

most  remarkable  degree  with  all  the  highest  offices 
which  his  countrymen  could  confer  upon  him,  swept 
contumely  from  his  path,  and  even  his  enemies  were 
ashamed  to  manifest  their  hostility.  From  London 
he  wrote  to  his  son, 

11  As  to  my  situation  here,  nothing  can  be  more 
agreeable.  Learned  and  ingenious  foreigners  that 
come  to  England,  almost  all  make  a  point  of  visit 
ing  me ;  for  my  reputation  is  still  higher  abroad, 
than  here.  Several  of  the  foreign  ambassadors  have 
assiduously  cultivated  my  acquaintance,  treating  me 
as  one  of  their  corps,  partly,  I  believe,  from  the 
desire  they  have  from  time  to  time,  of  hearing  some 
thing  of  American  affairs ;  an  object  become  of  im 
portance  in  foreign  courts,  who  begin  to  hope  Brit 
ain's  alarming  power  will  be  diminished  by  the 
defection  of  her  colonies."* 

*  "  For  dinner  parties  Franklin  was  in  such  demand  that,  during 
the  London  season,  he  sometimes  dined  out  six  days  in  the  week  for 
several  weeks  together.  He  also  confesses  that  occasionally  he  drank 
more  wine  than  became  a  philosopher.  It  would  indeed  have  been 
extremely  difficult  to  avoid  it,  in  that  soaking  age,  when  a  man's 
force  was  reckoned  by  the  number  of  bottles  he  could  empty." — Par- 
ton's  Life  of  Franklin,  vol.  i,  p.  540. 

As  an  illustration  of  the  state  of  the  times,  I  give  the  following 
verse  from  one  of  the  songs  which  Franklin  wrote,  and  which  he  was 
accustomed  to  sing  with  great  applause.  At  the  meetings  of  the 
Junto,  all  the  club  joined  in  the  chorus, 

"  Fair  Venus  calls  ;  her  voice  obey 
In  beauty's  arms  spend  night  and  day. 


THE  INTOLERANCE   OF  KING  AND   COURT.      249 

In  the  latter  part  of  the  year  1772,  Franklin,  in 
his  ever  courteous,  but  decisive  language,  was  con 
versing  with  an  influential  member  of  Parliament, 
respecting  the  violent  proceedings  of  the  ministry, 
in  quartering  troops  upon  the  citizens  of  Boston. 
The  member,  in  reply,  said, 

"  You  are  deceived  in  supposing  these  measures 
to  originate  with  the  ministry.  The  sending  out 
of  the  troops,  and  all  the  hostile  measures,  of  which 
you  complain,  have  not  only  been  suggested,  but 
solicited,  by  prominent  men  of  your  own  country. 
They  have  urged  that  troops  should  be  sent,  and 
that  fleets  should  enter  your  harbors,  declaring  that 
in  no  other  way,  than  by  this  menace  of  power,  can 
the  turbulent  Americans  be  brought  to  see  their 
guilt  and  danger,  and  return  to  obedience." 

Franklin  expressed  his  doubts  of  this  statement. 
"  I  will  bring  you  proof,"  the  gentleman  replied.  A 

The  joys  of  love  all  joys  excel, 
And  loving's  certainly  doing  well. 
Chorus. 

Oh  !  no  ! 

Not  so ! 

For  honest  souls  still  know 

Friends  and  the  bottle  still  bear  the  bell." 

"  It  is  well,"  Mr.  Parton  writes,  "  for  us,  in  these  days,  to  con 
sider  the  spectacle  of  this  large,  robust  soul,  sporting  in  this  simple, 
homely  way.  This  superb  Franklin  of  ours,  who  spent  some  evenings 
in  mere  jollity,  passed  nearlv  all  his  days  in  labor  most  fruitful  of 
benefit  to  his  country." — Life  of  Franklin,  vol.  i,  p.  262. 
II* 


25O  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

few  days  after,  he  visited  Franklin,  and  brought  with 
him  a  packet  of  letters,  written  by  persons  of  high 
official  station  in  the  colonies,  and  native  born 
Americans.  The  signatures  of  these  letters  were 
effaced  ;  but  the  letters  themselves  were  presented, 
and  Franklin  was  confidentially  informed  of  their 
writers.  They  were  addressed  to  Mr.  William 
Whately,  an  influential  member  of  Parliament,  who 
had  recently  died. 

Franklin  read  them  with  astonishment  and  indig 
nation.  He  found  the  representation  of  the  gentle 
man  entirely  true.  Six  of  the  letters  were  written 
by  Thomas  Hutchinson,  Governor  of  Massachusetts. 
He  was  a  native  of  the  colony  he  governed,  a  grad 
uate  of  Harvard,  and  in  his  religious  position  a  Puri 
tan.  Four  were  written  by  Andrew  Oliver,  Lieuten 
ant-governor,  and  also  a  native  of  Massachusetts. 

The  rest  were  written  by  custom-house  officers 
and  other  servants  of  the  Crown.  The  openly  avowed 
design  of  these  letters  was,  that  they  should  be  ex 
hibited  to  the  Ministry,  to  excite  them  to  prompt, 
vigorous  and  hostile  measures.  They  teemed  with 
misrepresentations,  and  often  with  downright  false 
hoods.  The  perusaj  of  these  infamous  productions 
elicited  from  Franklin  first  a  burst  of  indignation. 
The  second  effect  was  greatly  to  mitigate  his  resent 
ment  against  the  British  government.  The  ministry, 


THE  INTOLERANCE   OF  KING  AND   COURT.      251 

it  seemed,  were  acting  in  accordance  with  solicita 
tions  received  from  Americans,  native  born,  and 
occupying  the  highest  posts  of  honor  and  influence. 

The  gentleman  who  obtained  these  letters  and 
showed  them  to  Franklin,  was  very  unwilling  to 
have  his  agency  in  the  affair  made  public.  After 
much  solicitation,  he  consented  to  have  Franklin 
send  the  letters  to  America,  though  he  would  not 
give  permission  to  have  any  copies  taken.  It  was  his 
hope,  that  the  letters  would  calm  the  rising  animos 
ity  in  America,  by  showing  that  the  British  ministry 
was  pursuing  a  course  of  menace,  which  many  of 
the  most  distinguished  Americans  declared  to  be  es 
sential,  to  save  the  country  from  anarchy  and  ruin. 
Franklin's  object  was  to  cause  these  traitorous  office 
holders  to  be  ejected  from  their  positions  of  influ 
ence,  that  others,  more  patriotic,  might  occupy  the 
stations  which  they  disgraced. 

On  the  2d  of  December,  1772,  Franklin  inclosed 
the  letters  in  an  official  package,  directed  to  Thomas 
Gushing.  He  wrote, 

"  I  am  not  at  liberty  to  make  the  letters  public. 
I  can  only  allow  them  to  be  seen  by  yourself,  by  the 
other  gentlemen  of  the  Committee  of  Correspond 
ence,  by  Messrs.  Bowdoin  and  Pitts  of  the.  Council, 
and  Drs.  Chauncy,  Cooper,  and  Winthrop,  and  a  few 
such  other  gentlemen  as  you  may  think  fit  to  show 


252  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

them  to.     After  being  some  months  in  your  posses 
sion,  you  are  requested  to  return  them  to  me." 

The  reading  of  the  letters  created  intense  anger 
and  disgust.  John  Adams,  after  perusing  them,  re 
corded  in  his  diary,  alluding  to  Hutchinson,  "  Cool, 
thinking  deliberate  villain,  malicious  and  vindictive." 
He  carried  the  documents  around  to  read  to  all  his 
male  arid  female  friends,  and  was  not  sparing  in  his 
vehement  comments. 

Again  he  wrote,  "  Bone  of  our  bone  ;  born  and 
educated  among  us  !  Mr.  Hancock  is  deeply  affected  ; 
is  determined,  in  conjunction  with  Major  Hawley,  to 
watch  the  vile  serpent,  and  his  deputy,  Brattle.  The 
subtlety  of"  this  serpent  is  equal  to  that  of  the  old 
one." 

For  two  months  the  letters  were  privately  yet 
extensively  circulated.  Hutchinson  himself  soon 
found  out  the  storm  which  was  gathering  against 
him.  The  hand-writing  of  all  the  writers  was  known. 
In  June,  the  Massachusetts  Assembly  met.  In 
secret  session  the  letters  were  read.  Soon  some 
copies  were  printed.  It  was  said  that  some  one  had 
obtained,  from  England,  copies  of  the  letters  from 
which  the  printed  impressions  were  taken.  But  the 
mystery  of  their  publication  was  never  solved. 

The  Assembly  sent  a  petition  to  the  king  of 
England,  imploring  that  Thomas  Hutchinson  and  An- 


THE  INTOLERANCE   OF  KING   AND   COURT.      253 

drew  Oliver,  should  be  removed  from  their  posts,  and 
that  such  good  men  as  the  king  might  select,  should 
be  placed  in  their  stead.  The  petition,  eminently 
respectful,  but  drawn  up  in  very  forcible  language, 
expressive  of  the  ruinous  consequences  caused  by  the 
measures  which  these  officials  had  recommended, 
was  transmitted  to  Franklin,  the  latter  part  of  the 
summer  of  1773.  He  immediately  forwarded  it  to 
Lord  Dartmouth.  With  it  he  sent  a  very  polite  and 
conciliatory  letter,  in  which  he  declared,  that  the 
Americans  were  very  desirous  of  being  on  good 
terms  with  the  mother  country,  that  their  resent 
ment  against  the  government  was  greatly  abated,  by 
finding  that  Americans  had  urged  the  obnoxious 
measures  which  had  been  adopted ;  and  that  the 
present  was  a  very  favorable  time  to  introduce  cor 
dial,  friendly  relations  between  the  king  and  the 
colonists. 

Lord  Dartmouth  returned  a  very  polite  reply,  laid 
the  all-important  petition  aside,  and  for  five  months 
never  alluded  to  it,  by  word  or  letter.  In  the  mean 
time,  some  of  the  printed  copies  reached  London. 
The  tories  thought  that  perhaps  the  long  sought 
opportunity  had  come  when  they  might  pounce  upon 
Franklin,  and  at  least  greatly  impair  his  influence. 
Franklin  had  nothing  to  conceal.  He  had  received 
the  letters  from  a  friend,  who  authorized  him  to 


254  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

send  them  to  America,  that  their  contents  might  be 
made  known  there. 

In  all  this  he  had  done  absolutely  nothing,  which 
any  one  could  pronounce  to  be  wrong.  But  the 
Court,  being  determined  to  stir  up  strife,  began  to 
demand  who  it  was  that  had  obtained  and  delivered 
up  the  letters.  Franklin  was  absent  from  London. 
He  soon  heard  tidings  of  the  great  commotion  that 
was  excited,  and  that  two  gentlemen,  who  had  noth 
ing  to  do  with  the  matter,  were  each  accused  of  hav 
ing  dishonorably  obtained  the  letters.  This  led  to  a 
duel.  Franklin  immediately  wrote, 

"  I  think  it  incumbent  for  me  to  declare  that  I 
alone  am  the  person  who  obtained  and  transmitted 
to  Boston,  the  letters  in  question." 

The  Court  decided  to  summon  Franklin  to  meet 
the  "  Committee  for  Plantation  Affairs,"  to  explain 
the  reasons  for  the  petition  against  Hutchinson  and 
Oliver.  To  the  surprise  of  Franklin,  it  appeared 
that  they  were  organizing  quite  a  formidable  trial  ; 
and  very  able  counsel  was  appointed  to  defend  the 
culprits. 

Thus  Franklin,  who  simply  presented  the  pe 
tition  of  the  Assembly,  was  forced  into  the  obnoxious 
position  of  a  prosecutor.  The  array  against  him 
was  so  strong,  that  it  became  necessary  for  him  also 
to  have  counsel.  It  was  manifest  to  all  the  friends 


THE  INTOLERANCE   OF  KING  AND   COURT.      255 

of  Franklin,  that  the  British  Court  was  rousing  all  its 
energies  to  crush  him. 

The  meeting  was  held  on  the  nth  of  January, 
1773.  Four  of  the  Cabinet  ministers  were  present, 
and  several  Lords  of  the  Privy  Council.  They 
addressed  Franklin  as  a  culprit,  who  had  brought 
slanderous  charges  against  his  majesty's  faithful 
officers  in  the  colonies.  He  was  treated  not  only 
with  disrespect  but  with  absolute  insolence.  But 
nothing  could  disturb  his  equanimity.  Not  for  one 
moment  did  he  lose  serenity  of  mind. 

There  was  an  adjournment,  to  meet  on  the  2Qth 
of  the  month.  In  the  meantime  one  of  the  court 
party,  who  had  received  many  favors  from  Franklin, 
commenced  a  chancery  suit  against  him,  accusing 
him  of  stealing  the  letters,  and  being  by  trade  a 
printer,  of  having  secretly  published  them,  and  sold 
immense  numbers,  the  profits  of  which  he  had  placed 
in  his  own  pocket.  All  this  Franklin  denied  on  oath. 
The  charge  was  so  absurd,  and  so  manifestly 
malignant,  that  his  foes  withdrew  the  suit.  Frank 
lin  was  however  assured  that  the  Court  was  clamor 
ing  for  his  punishment  and  disgrace. 

All  London  was  agitated  by  the  commotion 
which  these  extraordinary  events  created.  At  the 
appointed  day,  the  Council  again  met.  The  assem 
bly  was  held  in  a  large  apartment  in  the  drawing- 


256  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

room  style.  At  one  end  was  the  entrance  door  ;  at 
the  other  the  fire-place,  with  recesses  on  each  side 
of  the  chimney.  A  broad  table  extended  from  the 
fire-place  to  the  door.  The  Privy  Council,  thirty- 
five  in  number,  sat  at  this  table.  They  were  invete 
rate  tories,  resolved  to  bring  the  Americans  down 
upon  their  knees,  and,  as  a  preliminary  step,  to 
inflict  indelible  disgrace  upon  Franklin.  Lord 
North,  the  implacable  Prime  Minister  was  there. 
The  Archbishop  of  Canterbury  was  present.  As 
Franklin  cast  his  eye  along  the  line  of  these  haughty 
nobles,  he  could  not  see  the  face  of  a  friend. 

The  remainder  of  the  room  was  crowded  with 
spectators.  From  them  many  a  sympathizing  glance 
fell  upon  him.  Priestly  and  Burke  gave  him  their 
silent  but  cordial  sympathy.  There  were  also  quite 
a  number  of  Americans  and  prominent  members  of 
the  opposition,  whose  presence  was  a  support  to 
Franklin,  during  the  ordeal  through  which  he  was 
to  pass.  He  stood  at  the  edge  of  the  recess  formed 
by  the  chimney,  with  one  elbow  resting  upon  the 
mantel,  and  his  cheek  upon  his  hand.  He  was 
motionless  as  a  statue,  and  had  composed  his  fea 
tures  into  such  calm  and  serene  rigidity,  that  not 
the  movement  of  a  muscle  could  be  detected.  As 
usual,  he  was  dressed  simply,  but  with  great  ele 
gance.  A  large  flowing  wig,  with  abundant  curls, 


THE   INTOLERANCE   OF   KING  AND   COURT.      257 

such  as  were  used  by  elderly  gentlemen  at  that  day, 
covered  his  head.  His  costume,  which  was  admira 
bly  fitted  to  a  form  as  perfect  as  Grecian  sculptor 
ever  chiseled,  was  of  rich  figured  silk  velvet.  In  all 
that  room,  there  was  not  an  individual,  who  in 
physical  beauty,  was  the  peer  of  Franklin.  In  all 
that  room  there  was  not  another,  who  in  intellect 
ual  greatness  could  have  met  the  trial  so  grandly. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  the  Assembly  of 
Massachusetts  had  petitioned  for  the  removal  of  an 
obnoxious  governor  and  lieutenant  governor. 
Franklin,  as  the  agent  in  London  of  that  colony, 
had  presented  the  petition  to  the  crown'.  He  was 
now  summoned  to  appear  before  the  privy  council, 
to  bring  forward  and  substantiate  charges  against 
these  officers.  The  council  had  appointed  a  lawyer 
to  defend  Hutchinson  and  Oliver.  His  name  was 
Wedderburn.  He  had  already  obtained  celebrity 
for  the  savage  skill  with  which  he  could  browbeat  a 
witness,  and  for  his  wonderful  command  of  the 
vocabulary  of  vituperation  and  abuse.  Before  com 
mencing  the  examination,  he  addressed  the  assem 
bly  in  a  long  speech.  After  eulogizing  Governor 
Hutchinson,  as  one  of  the  best  and  most  loyal  of 
the  officers  of  the  crown,  who  merited  the  gratitude 
of  king  and  court,  he  turned  upon  Franklin,  and  as 
sailed  him  with  a  storm  of  vituperative  epithets, 


258  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

such  as  never  before,  and  never  since,  has  fallen  upon 
the  head  of  a  man.  The  council  were  in  sympathy 
with  the  speaker.  Often  his  malignant  thrusts 
would  elicit  from  those  lords  a  general  shout  of 
derisive  laughter. 

Such  was  the  treatment  which  one  of  the  most 
illustrious  and  honored  of  American  citizens  received 
from  the  privy  council  of  king  George  III,  when 
he  appeared  before  that  council  as  a  friendly  am 
bassador  from  his  native  land,  seeking  only  concilia 
tion  and  peace. 

Wedderburn  accused  Franklin  of  stealing  pri 
vate  letters,  of  misrepresenting  their  contents,  that 
he  might  excite  hostility  against  the  loyal  officers 
of  the  king.  He  accused  him  of  doing  this  that  he 
might  eject  them  from  office,  so  as  to  obtain  the 
positions  for  himself  and  his  friends.  Still  more,  he 
accused  him  of  having  in  an  unexampled  spirit  of 
meanness,  availed  himself  of  his  skill  as  a  printer,  to 
publish  these  letters,  and  that  he  sold  them  far  and 
wide,  that  he  might  enrich  himself.  Charges  better 
calculated  to  ruin  a  man,  in  the  view  of  these  proud 
lords,  can  scarcely  be  conceived.  It  is  doubtful 
whether  there  were  another  man  in  the  world,  who 
could  have  received  them  so  calmly,  and  in  the  end 
could  have  so  magnificently  triumphed  over  them. 

During  all  this  really  terrific  assailment,  Frank- 


THE  INTOLERANCE   OF  KING  AND   COURT.      259 

lin  stood  with  his  head  resting  on  his  left  hand,  ap 
parently  unmoved.  At  the  close,  he  declined 
answering  any  questions.  The  committee  of  the 
council  reported  on  that  same  day,  "  the  lords  of 
the  committee,  do  agree  humbly  to  report  as  their 
opinion  to  your  majesty,  that  the  said  petition  is 
founded  upon  resolutions,  formed  upon  false  and 
erroneous  allegations,  and  that  the  same  is  false, 
vexatious  and  scandalous  ;  and  calculated  only  for 
the  seditious  purposes  of  keeping  up  a  spirit  of 
clamor  and  discontent  in  said  province."  The  king 
accepted  the  report,  and  acted  accordingly.  Frank 
lin  went  home  alone.  We  know  not  why  his  friends 
thus  apparently  deserted  him. 

The  next  morning,  which  was  Sunday,  Priestly 
breakfasted  at  Franklin's  table.  He  represents 
him  as  saying  that  he  could  not  have  borne  the 
insults  heaped  upon  him  by  the  privy  council,  but 
for  the  consciousness,  that  he  had  done  only  that 
which  was  right.  On  Monday  morning  Franklin 
received  a  laconic  letter  from  the  Post-Master  Gen 
eral,  informing  him  that  the  king  had  found  it 
necessary  to  dismiss  him  from  the  office  of  deputy 
Post  Master  General  in  America. 

This  outrage,  inflicted  by  the  privy  council  of 
Great  Britain,  upon  a  friendly  ambassador  from  her 
colonies,  who  had  visited  her  court  with  the  desire 


260  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

to  promote  union  and  harmony,  was  one  of  the 
most  atrocious  acts  ever  perpetrated  by  men  above 
the  rank  of  vagabonds  in  their  drunken  carousals. 
Franklin,  in  transmitting  an  account  to  Massachu 
setts,  writes  in  a  noble  strain  : 

"  What  I  feel  on  my  own  account,  is  half  lost  in 
what  I  feel  for  the  public.  When  I  see  that  all 
petitions  and  complaints  of  grievances,  are  so  odi 
ous  to  government,  that  even  the  mere  pipe  which 
conveys  them,  becomes  obnoxious,  I  am  at  a  loss  to 
know  how  peace  and  union  are  to  be  maintained, 
and  restored  between  the  different  parts  of  the  em 
pire.  Grievances  cannot  be  redressed,  unless  they 
are  known.  And  they  cannot  be  .known,  but 
through  complaints  and  petitions.  If  these  are 
deemed  affronts,  and  the  messengers  punished  as 
offenders,  who  will  henceforth  send  petitions  ?  and 
who  will  deliver  them  ?  " 

The  speech  of  Wedderburn  gave  great  delight 
to  all  the  Tory  party.  It  was  derisively  said,  "  that 
the  lords  of  the  council,  went  to  their  chamber,  as 
to  a  bull-baiting,  and  hounded  on  the  Solicitor  Gen 
eral  with  loud  applause  and  laughter."  Mr.  Fox, 
writing  of  the  assault  said,  "All  men  tossed  up 
their  hats  and  clapped  their  hands,  in  boundless 
delight." 

When  the  tidings  of  the  affair  reached  America, 


THE   INTOLERANCE   OF  KING  AND   COURT.      26l 

it  added  intensity  to  the  animosity,  then  rapidly 
increasing,  against  the  British  government.  The 
dismissal  of  Franklin  from  the  post  office,  was 
deemed  equivalent  to  the  seizure,  by  the  crown, 
of  that  important  branch  of  the  government.  None 
but  the  creatures  of  the  Ministry  were  to  be  post 
masters.  Consequently  patriotic  Americans  could 
no  longer  entrust  their  letters  to  the  mail.  Private 
arrangements  were  immediately  made  for  the  con 
veyance  of  letters ;  and  with  so  much  efficiency, 
that  the  general  office,  which  had  heretofore  con 
tributed  fifteen  thousand  dollars  annually  to  the 
public  treasury,  never  after  paid  into  it  one  farthing.* 

The  spirit  of  the  tories  may  be  inferred  from 
that  of  one  of  the  most  applauded  and  influential 
of  their  leaders.  Dr.  Samuel  Johnson,  who  wrote 
the  notorious  "  Taxation  no  Tyranny,"  said, 

u  The  Americans  are  a  race  of  convicts.  They 
ought  to  be  thankful  for  any  thing  we  can  give 
them.  I  am  willing  to  love  all  mankind  except  an 
American."  Boswell  in  quoting  one  of  his  insane 

*  It  may  be  worthy  of  record,  that  Wedderburn  became  the  hero 
of  the  clubs  and  the  favorite  of  the  tory  party.  Wealth  and  honors 
were  lavished  upon  him.  He  rose  to  the  dignity  of  an  earl  and 
lord  chancellor,  and  yet  we  do  not  find,  in  any  of  the  annals  of  those 
days,  that  he  is  spoken  of  otherwise  than  as  a  shallow,  unprincipled 
man.  When  his  death,  after  a  few  hours'  illness,  was"  announced  to 
the  king,  he  scornfully  said,  "  He  has  not  left  a  worse  man  behind 
him." 


262  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

tirades  writes,  "  His  inflammable  corruption,  burst 
ing  into  horrid  fire,  he  breathed  out  threatenings 
and  slaughter,  calling  them  rascals,  robbers,  pirates, 
and  exclaiming  that  he  would  burn  and  destroy 
them." 

It  was  a  day  of  vicious  indulgence,  of  dissipation 
in  every  form,  when  it  was  fashionable  to  be  god 
less,  and  to  sneer  at  all  the  restraints  of  the  Chris 
tian  religion.  Volumes  might  be  filled  with  ac 
counts  of  the  atrocities  perpetrated  by  drunken 
lords  at  the  gaming  -table  and  in  midnight  revel 
through  the  streets.  Such  men  of  influence  and 
rank  as  Fox,  Lord  Derby,  the  Duke  of  Ancaster, 
inflamed  with  wine,  could  set  the  police  at  defiance. 
They  were  constantly  engaged  in  orgies  which 
would  disgrace  the  most  degraded  wretches,  in  the 
vilest  haunts  of  infamy  in  our  cities.  Instead  of 
gambling  for  copper,  they  gambled  for  gold.  Hor 
ace  Walpole  testifies  that  at  one  of  the  most  fashiona 
ble  clubs,  at  Almack's,  they  played  only  for  rouleaux 
of  two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  each.  There  were 
often  fifty  thousand  dollars  in  specie  on  the  gaming 
tables,  around  which  these  bloated  inebriates  were 
gathered.  It  is  said  that  Lord  Holland  paid  the 
gambling  debts  of  his  two  sons  to  the  amount  of 
one  hundred  thousand  dollars. 

The  trade  of  the  colonies  had  become  of  immense 


THE  INTOLERANCE   OF   KING  AND   COURT.      263 

value  to  the  mother  country.  It  amounted  to  six 
and  a  half  millions  sterling  a  year.  Philadelphia 
numbered  forty  thousand  inhabitants.  Charleston, 

South  Carolina,  had  become  one  of  the  most  beauti- 

t 

ful  and  healthy  cities  in  America.  The  harbor  was 
crowded  with  shipping,  the  streets  were  lined  with 
mansions  of  great  architectural  beauty.  Gorgeous 
equipages  were  seen,  almost  rivaling  the  display  in 
French  and  English  capitals.  But  there  were  many 
Tories  in  Charleston,  as  malignant  in  their  opposi 
tion  to  the  popular  cause  in  America,  as  any  of  the 
aristocrats  to  be  found  in  London. 

The  unpardonable  insult  which  Franklin  had  re 
ceived,  closed  his  official  labors  in  London.  His 
personal  friends  and  the  Opposition  rallied  more 
affectionately  than  ever  around  him.  But  he  ceased 
to  appear  at  court  and  was  seldom  present  at  the 
dinner-parties  of  the  ministers.  Still  he  was  con 
stantly  and  efficiently  employed  in  behalf  of  his 
country.  The  leaders  of  the  opposition  were  in  con 
stant  conference  with  him.  He  wrote  many  pam 
phlets  and  published  articles  in  the  journals,  which 
exerted  an  extended  and  powerful  influence.  He 
wrote  to  his  friends  at  home,  in  October,  1774, 

"  My  situation  here  is  thought,  by  many,  to  be  a 
little  hazardous  ;  for  if  by  some  accident  the  troops 
and  people  of  New  England  should  come  to  blows, 


264  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

I  should  probably  be  taken  up  ;  the  ministerial  peo 
ple,  affecting  everywhere  to  represent  me  as  the 
cause  of  all  the  misunderstanding.  And  I  have  been 
frequently  cautioned  to  secure  all  my  papers,  and  by 
some  advised  to  withdraw-.  But  I  venture  to  stay, 
in  compliance  with  the  wish  of  others,  till  the  result 
of  the  Congress  arrives,  since  they  suppose  my  being 
here  might,  on  that  occasion,  be  of  use.  And  I  con 
fide  in  my  innocence,  that  the  worst  that  can  happen 
to  me  will  be  an  imprisonment  upon  suspicion ; 
though  that  is  a  thing  I  should  much  desire  to  avoid, 
as  it  may  be  expensive  and  vexatious,  as  well  as 
dangerous  to  my  health." 


CHAPTER   XII. 

• 
The  Bloodhounds  of  War  Unleashed. 

The  mission  of  Josiah  Quincy — Love  of  England  by  the  Ameri 
cans — Petition  to  the  king — Sickness  and  death  of  Mrs.  Frank 
lin — Lord  Chatham — His  speech  in  favor  of  the  colonists — Lord 
Howe — His  interview  with  Franklin — Firmness  of  Franklin — 
His  indignation — His  mirth — Franklin's  fable — He  embarks  for 
Philadelphia — Feeble  condition  of  the  colonies — England's  ex 
pressions  of  contempt — Franklin's  reception  at  Philadelphia — 
His  letter  to  Edmund  Burke — Post  office  arrangements — Defec 
tion  and  conduct  of  William  Franklin — His  arrest. 

YOUNG  Josiah  Quincy,  of  Boston,  one  of  the 
noblest  of  patriots,  who  was  dying  of  consumption, 
visited  London,  with  instructions  to  confer  with 
Franklin  upon  the  posture  of  affairs.  He  wrote 
home,  in  the  most  commendatory  terms,  of  the  zeal 
and  sagacity  with  which  Franklin  was  devoting  him 
self  to  the  interests  of  his  country.  Tory  spies  were 
watching  his  every  movement,  and  listening  to 
catch  every  word  which  fell  from  his  lips.  Lord 
Hillsborough,  in  a  debate  in  the  House  of  Lords, 
said, 

"  There  are  two  men,  walking  in  the  streets  of 
London,  who  ought  to  be  in  Newgate  or  at  Tyburn." 

12 


266  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

•  The  duke  of  Richmond,  demanded  their  names, 
saying  that  if  such  were  the  fact  the  ministry  were 
severely  to  be  blamed.  Hillsborough  declined  to 
give  their  names  ;  but  it  was  generally  known  that 
he  referred  to  Dr.  Franklin  and  Josiah  Qtiincy. 

The  policy  of  Franklin  was  clearly  denned,  and 
unchanging.  He  said  virtually,  to  his  countrymen, 
"  Perform  no  political  act  against  the  government, 
utter  no  menace,  and  do  no  act  of  violence  what 
ever.  But  firmly  and  perseveringly  unite  in  con 
suming  no  English  goods.  There  is  nothing  in  this 
which  any  one  will  pronounce  to  be,  in  the  slightest 
degree,  illegal.  The  sudden  and  total  loss  of  the 
trade  with  America,  will,  in  one  year,  create  such  a 
clamor,  from  the  capitalists  and  industrial  classes  of 
England,  Ireland  and  Scotland,  that  the  despotic 
government  will  be  compelled  to  retrace  its  steps." 

Even  at  this  time  the  Americans  had  no  desire 
to  break  loose  from  the  government  of  Great  Brit 
ain.  England  was  emphatically  their  home. 
Englishmen  were  their  brothers.  In  England  their 
fathers  were  gathered  to  the  grave.  The  Americans 
did  not  assume  a  new  name.  They  still  called  them 
selves  Englishmen.  They  were  proud  to  be  mem 
bers  of  the  majestic  kingdom,  which  then  stood  at 
the  head  of  the  world. 

Congress  met.     "Its  members,  perhaps   without 


BLOODHOUNDS   OF  WAR  UNLEASHED.         267 

exception,  were  yearning  for  reconciliation  with  the 
mother-country,  and  for  sincere  and  cordial  friend 
ship.  It  was  resolved  to  make  another  .solemn 
appeal  to  the  king,  whom  they  had  ever  been  accus 
tomed  to  revere,  and,  in  a  fraternal  spirit,  to  address 
their  brethren,  the  people  of  England,  whom  they 
wished  to  regard  with  all  the  respect  due  to  elder 
brothers. 

The  intelligence  of  Christendom  has  applauded 
the  dignity  and  the  pathos  of  these  documents. 
The  appeal  fell  upon  the  profane,  gambling,  wine- 
bloated  aristocrats  of  the  court,  as  if  it  had  been  ad 
dressed  to  the  marble  statuary  in  the  British  Museum. 
Nay  worse.  Those  statues  would  have  listened  in 
respectful  silence.  No  contemptuous  laughter,  and 
no  oaths  of  menace,  would  have  burst  from  their 
marble  lips.  The  following  brief  extract  will  show 
the  spirit  which  pervaded  these  noble  docurrients. 
It  is  one  of  the  closing  sentences  of  the  address  to 
the  king : 

"  Permit  us  then,  most  gracious  sovereign,  in  the 
name  of  all  your  faithful  people  in  America,  with  the 
utmost  humility  to  implore  you,  for  the  honor  of 
Almighty  God,  whose  pure  religion  our  enemies  are 
undermining ;  for  the  glory  which  can  be  advanced 
only  by  rendering  your  subjects  happy  and  keeping 
them  united  ;  for  the  interests  of  your  family,  de- 


268  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

pending  on  an  adherence  to  the  principle  that  en 
throned  it ;  for  the  safety  and  welfare  of  your  king 
dom  and  dominions,  threatened  with  unavoidable 
dangers,  and  distresses;  that  your  majesty,  as  the 
loving  father  of  your  whole  people,  connected  by 
the  same  bands  of  law,  loyalty,  faith  and  blood, 
though  dwelling  in  various  countries,  will  not  suffer 
the  transcendent  relation,  formed  by  these  ties,  to 
be  further  violated,  in  uncertain  expectation  of 
effects  which,  if  attained,  never  can  compensate  for 
the  calamities  through  which  they  must  be  gained." 

This  petition  was  sent  to  Franklin,  and  the  other 
colony  agents,  to  be  presented  by  them  to  the  king. 
They  were  instructed  also  to  publish  both  the  Peti 
tion  and  the  Address,  in  the  newspapers,  and  to 
give  them  as  wide  a  circulation  as  possible. 

Dr.  Franklin,  with  two  other  agents,  Arthur  Lee 
and  Mr.  Bollan,  presented  to  Lord  Dartmouth  the 
petition  to  be  handed  by  him  to  the  king.  They 
were  soon  informed  that  the  king  received  it  gra 
ciously,  and  would  submit  the  consideration  of  it  to 
Parliament.  It  was  thought  not  respectful  to  the 
king  to  publish  it  before  he  had  presented  it  to  that 
body.  But  as  usual,  the  infatuation  of  both  king  and 
court  was  such,  that  everything  that  came  from  the 
Americans  was  treated  with  neglect,  if  not  with  con 
tempt.  The  all-important  petition  was  buried  in  a 


BLOODHOUNDS   OF   WAR   UNLEASHED.         269 

pile  of  documents  upon  all  conceivable  subjects,  and 
not  one  word  was  said  to  commend  it  to  the  consid 
eration  of  either  house.  For  three  days  it  remained 
unnoticed.  Dr.  Franklin,  then,  with  his  two  com 
panions,  solicited  permission  to  be  heard  at  the  bar 
of  the  house.  Their  request  was  refused.  This 
brought  the  question  into  debate. 

The  House  of  Commons  was  at  that  time  but  a 
reflected  image  of  the  House  of  Lords.  It  was  com 
posed  almost  exclusively,  of  the  younger  sons  of  the 
nobles,  and  such  other  obsequious  servants  of  the 
aristocracy,  as  they,  with  their  vast  wealth  and  patron 
age,  saw  fit  to  have  elected.  There  was  an  immense 
tory  majority  in  the  House.  They  assailed  the  peti 
tion  with  vulgarity  of  abuse,  which  could  scarcely 
be  exceeded  ;  and  then  dismissed  it  from  further 
consideration.  Noble  lords  made  themselves  merry 
in  depicting  the  alacrity  with  which  a  whole  army 
of  Americans  would  disperse  at  the  very  sound  of 
a  British  cannon. 

While  these  disastrous  events  were  taking  place 
in  England — events,  sure  to  usher  in  a  cruel  and 
bloody  war,  bearing  on  its  wings  terror  and  conflagra 
tion,  tears  and  blood,  a  domestic  tragedy  was  tak 
ing  place  in  the  far  distant  home  of  Franklin  on  the 
banks  of  the  Delaware.  Mrs.  Franklin  had  been 
separated  from  her  husband  for  nearly  ten  years. 


270  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

She  was  a  cheerful,  motherly  woman,  ever  blessing 
her  home  with  smiles  and  with  kindly  words  ;  and 
in  the  society  of  her  daughter  and  her  grandchildren, 
she  found  a  constant  joy.  The  lapse  of  three-score 
years  and  ten,  had  not  brought  their  usual  infirmi 
ties.  Though  yearning  intensely  for  the  return  of 
her  husband,  she  did  not  allow  the  separation  seri 
ously  to  mar  her  happiness.  Every  spring  she  was 
confident  that  he  would  return  the  next  autumn, 
and  then  bore  her  disappointment  bravely  in  the 
assurance  that  she  should  see  him  the  coming 
spring. 

In  December,  1774,  she  was  suddenly  stricken 
down  by  a  paralytic  stroke.  Five  days  of  uncon 
scious  slumber  passed  away,  when  she  fell  into  that 
deep  and  dreamless  sleep,  which  has  no  earthly  wak 
ing.  Her  funeral  was  attended  by  a  large  concourse 
of  citizens,  with  every  testimonial  of  respect.  Some 
of  Franklin's  oldest  friends  bore  the  coffin  to  the 
churchyard,  where  the  remains  of  the  affectionate 
wife  and  mother  who  had  so  nobly  fulfilled  life's 
duties,  were  placed  by  the  side  of  her  father,  her 
mother,  and  her  infant  son. 

Feelingly  does  Mr.  Parton  write,  "  It  is  mourn 
ful  to  think  that  for  so  many  years,  she  should  have 
been  deprived  of  her  husband's  society.  The  very 
qualities  which  made  her  so  good  a  wife,  ren- 


BLOODHOUNDS   OF   WAR   UNLEASHED.         2/1 

dered  it  possible  for  him  to  remain  absent  from 
his  affairs." 

Franklin,  all  unconscious  of  the  calamity  which 
had  darkened  his  home,  and  weary  of  the  conflict 
with  the  British  court,  was  eagerly  making  prepara 
tions  to  return  to  Philadelphia. 

The  aged,  illustrious,  eloquent  Earl  of  Chatham, 
one  of  the  noblest  of  England's  all  grasping  and 
ambitious  sons,  sought  an  interview  with  Franklin. 
He  utterly  condemned  the  policy  of  the  British  cab 
inet.  His  sympathies  were,  not  only  from  princi 
ples  of  policy,  but  from  convictions  of  justice,  cor 
dially  with  the  Americans.  He  felt  sure  that  unless 
the  court  should  retrace  its  steps,  war  would  ensue, 
and  American  Independence  would  follow,  and  that 
England,  with  the  loss  of  her  colonies,  would  find 
mercantile  impoverishment  and  political  weakness. 
In  the  course  of  conversation,  he  implied  that 
America  might  be  even  then,  contemplating  inde 
pendence.  Franklin,  in  his  account  of  the  interview 
writes, 

"  I  assured  him  that  having  more  than  once  trav 
eled  almost  from  one  end  of  the  continent  to  the 
other,  and  kept  a  great  variety  of  company,  eating, 
drinking  and  conversing  with  them  freely,  I  had 
never  heard  in  any  conversation  from  any  person, 
drunk  or  sober,  the  least  expression  of  a  wish  for  a 


2/2  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

separation,  or  a  hint  that  such  a  thing  would  be  ad 
vantageous  to  America." 

In  a  subsequent  interview,  the  Earl  of  Chatham, 
alluding  to  the  conduct  of  Congress,  in  drawing  up 
the  petition  and  address,  said, 

"  They  have  acted  with  so  much  temper,  mode 
ration  and  wisdom,  that  I  think  it  the  most  honora 
ble  assembly  of  statesmen  since  those  of  the  Greeks 
and  Romans,  of  the  most  virtuous  times." 

In  a  subsequent  interview,  Dr.  Franklin  ex 
pressed,  to  the  earl,  his  apprehension  that  the  con 
tinuance  of  the  British  army  in  Boston,  which  was 
the  source  of  constant  irritation  to  the  people, 
might  eventually  lead  to  a  quarrel,  perhaps  between 
a  drunken  porter  and  a  soldier,  and  that  thus  tumult 
and  bloodshed  might  be  introduced,  leading  to  con 
sequences  which  no  one  could  foresee. 

Lord  Chatham  felt  the  force  of  these  remarks, 
which  soon  received  their  striking  illustration,  in 
what  was  called  the  Boston  Massacre.  He  there 
fore  declared  his  intention  of  repairing  to  the  House 
of  Lords,  to  introduce  a  resolve  for  the  imme 
diate  withdrawal  of  the  troops  from  Boston.  The 
tidings  were  soon  noised  abroad  that  the  eloquent 
earl,  then  probably  the  most  illustrious  man  in  Eng 
land,  was  to  make  a  speech  in  favor  of  America. 
The  eventful  day  arrived.  The  hall  was  crowded. 


BLOODHOUNDS   OF  WAR   UNLEASHED.         2/3 

Dr.  Franklin  had  a  special  invitation  from  the  earl 
to  be  present.  The  friends  of  America  were  there,  few 
in  numbers,  and  the  enemies  in  all  their  strength. 

Lord  Chatham  made  a  speech,  which  in  logical 
power  and  glowing  eloquence,  has  perhaps  never 
been  surpassed.  Franklin  had  impressed  him  with 
the  conviction  that  the  determination  of  the  Ameri 
cans  to  defend  their  rights  was  such,  that  if,  with 
fleet  and  army,  the  government  were  to  ravage  all 
the  coast  and  burn  all  the  cities,  the  Americans 
would  retreat  back  into  the  forests,  in  the  mainte 
nance  of  their  liberty.  Full  of  this  idea,  Lord 
Chatham  exclaimed,  with  prophetic  power, 

"  We  shall  be  forced  ultimately  to  retract.  Let 
us  retract  while  we  can,  not  when  we  must.  I  say 
we  must  necessarily  undo  these  violent  oppressive 
acts.  You  will  repeal  them.  I  pledge  myself  for  it. 
I  stake  my  reputation  on  it.  I  will  consent  -to  be 
taken  for  an  idiot,  if  they  are  not  finally  repealed." 

Franklin  writes,  "  All  availed  no  more  than  the 
whistling  of  the  wind.  The  motion  was  rejected. 
Sixteen  Scotch  peers  and  twenty-four  bishops,  with 
all  the  lords  in  possession  or  expectation  of  places, 
when  they  vote  together  unanimously  for  ministe 
rial  measures,  as  they  generally  do,  make  a  dead  ma 
jority,  that  renders  all  debate  ridiculous  in  itself, 
since  it  can  answer  no  end." 


274  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

Though  the  speech  produced  no  impression  upon 
the  obdurate  House  of  Lords,  it  had  a  very  power 
ful  effect  upon  the  public  mind.  It  was  read  in 
America,  in  collegiate  halls,  in  the  work-shop  and 
at  the  farmer's  fireside,  with  delight  which  cannot 
be  described.  A  few  days  after  the  speech,  Dr. 
Franklin,  writing  to  Lord  Stanhope,  said, 

"  Dr.  Franklin  is  filled  with  admiration  of  that 
truly  great  man.  He  has  seen,  in  the  course  of  life, 
sometimes  eloquence  without  wisdom,  and  often 
wisdom  without  eloquence  ;  in  the  present  instance 
he  sees  both  united,  and  both  he  thinks  in  the  high 
est  degree  possible." 

Slowly  the  ministry  were  awaking  to  the  convic 
tion  that  American  affairs,  if  not  settled,  might  yet 
cause  them  much  trouble.  In  various  underhand 
ways,  they  approached  Franklin.  It  was  generally 
understood  that  every  man  had  his  price ;  that  the 
influence  of  one  man  could  be  bought  for  a  few 
hundred  pounds ;  that  another  would  require  a 
lucrative  and  honorable  office.  Though  the  reputa 
tion  of  Franklin  was  such,  that  it  was  a  delicate  mat 
ter  to  approach  him  with  bribes,  still  some  of  them 
now  commenced  a  course  of  flattery,  endeavoring  to 
secure  his  cooperation.  It  was  thought  that  his 
influence  with  his  countrymen  was  so  great,  that  they 
would  accede  to  any  terms  he  should  recommend. 


BLOODHOUNDS   OF   WAR   UNLEASHED.         275 

Lord  Howe  called  upon  Franklin*  and,  in  the 
name  of  Lord  North  and  Lord  Dartmouth,  the  two 
most  influential  members  of  the  ministry,  informed 
him  that  they  sincerely  sought  reconciliation,  and 
that  they  were  prepared  to  listen  favorably,  to  any 
reasonable  propositions  he  might  offer.  Lord  Howe 
was  the  friend  of  Franklin  and  of  America.  These 
unexpected  and  joyful  tidings  affected  Franklin  so 
deeply,  that  he  could  not  conceal  the  tears  which 
rolled  down  his  cheeks." 

Lord  Howe  then  added  that  he  was  instructed  to 
say,  that  the  service  he  would  thus  render  both 
England  and  America,  would  be  of  priceless  value, 
and  that  though  the  ministers  could  not  think  of 
influencing  him  by  any  selfish  motives,  he  might  ex 
pect,  in  return,  any  reward  which  it  was  in  the  power 
of  government  to  bestoiv.  "  This,"  said  Franklin, 
"  was  what  the  French  vulgarly  called  spitting  in  the 
soup." 

But  again  there  was  a  meeting  of  Parliament. 
Again  it  became  evident  that  the  ministry  would 
accede  to  no  terms,  which  did  not  secure  the  entire 
subjugation  of  America.  Lord  Chatham  made  a 
renewed  attempt  to  conciliate.  His  propositions 
were  rejected  with  scorn.  In  the  meantime  Dr. 
Franklin  had  presented  some  Hints,  drawn  up  in  the 
most  liberal  spirit  of  compromise,  but  which  still 


2/6  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

maintained  the  American  principle,  that  the  colo 
nists  could  not  be  taxed  at  the  pleasure  of  the  court, 
without  having  any  voice  themselves  in  the  amount 
which  they  were  to  pay. 

Soon  after  this,  Mr.  Barclay  called  upon  Frank 
lin  in  the  name  of  the  government,  and  after  a  long, 
and  to  Franklin,  disgusting  diplomatic  harangue, 
ventured  to  say  to  him,  that  if  he  would  only  com 
ply  with  the  wishes  of  the  ministry,  he  might  expect 
almost  any  reward  he  could  wish  for.  Even  the  im 
perturbable  spirit  of  Franklin  was  roused.  He  re 
plied, 

"  The  ministry,  I  am  sure,  would  rather  give  me 
a  place  in  a  cart  to  Tyburn,  than  any  other  place 
whatever.  I  sincerely  wish  to  be  serviceable  ;  and  I 
need  no  other  inducement  that  I  might  be  so." 

In  another  interview,  which  soon  followed,  it 
appeared  that  the  government  refused  to  concede  a 
single  point  which  the  Americans  deemed  essential. 
They  refused  to  withdraw  the  troops  ;  refused  to 
allow  the  colonial  governors  to  appoint  the  collect 
ors  of  the  customs  ;  persisted  in  building  fortresses 
to  hold  the  people  in  subjection  ;  and  adhered  to  the 
claim  of  Parliament  to  legislate  for  the  colonies. 
Franklin  said, 

"  While  Parliament  claims  the  power  of  altering 
our  constitution  at  pleasure,  there  can  be  no  agree- 


BLOODHOUNDS   OF   WAR   UNLEASHED.         2// 

merit.  We  are  rendered  unsafe  in  every  privilege, 
and  are  secure  in  nothing." 

Mr.  Barclay  insolently  replied,  "  It  would  be 
well  for  the  Americans  to  come  to  an  agreement  with 
the  court  of  Great  Britain.  They  ought  not  to  for 
get  how  easy  a  thing  it  will  be  for  the  British  men-of- 
war  to  lay  all  their  seaport  towns  in  ashes." 

"  I  grew  warm,"  writes  Franklin  ;  "said  that  the 
chief  part  of  my  little  property  consisted  of  houses  in 
those  towns  ;  that  they  might  make  bonfires  of  them 
whenever  they  pleased ;  that  the  fear  of  losing  them 
would  never  alter  my  resolution  to  resist  to  the  last, 
such  claims  of  Parliament  ;  and  that  it  behoved  this 
country  to  take  care  what  mischief  it  did  us ;  for 
that  sooner  or  later  it  would  certainly  be  obliged  to 
make  good  all  damages,  with  interest." 

Still  again  these  corrupt  men,  who  are  selling  them 
selves  and  buying  others,  approached  Franklin  with 
attempts  to  bribe  him.  "  They  could  not  comprehend 
that  any  man  could  be  above  the  reach  of  such  in 
fluences.  It  was  contemplated  sending  Lord  Howe 
to  America  as  a  Commissioner.  He  applied  to 
Franklin  to  go  with  him  as  friend,  assistant  or 
secretary. 

Lord  Howe  said  to  Franklin,  that  he  could  not 
think  of  undertaking  the  mission  without  him  ;  that 
if  he  effected  any  thing  valuable,  it  must  be  owing 


278  BENJAMIN    FRANKLIN. 

to  the  advice  Franklin  would  afford  him  ;  and  that 
he  should  make  no  scruple  of  giving  him  the  full 
honor  of  it.  He  assured  him  that  the  ministry  did 
not  expect  his  assistance  without  a  proper  consider 
ation  ;  that  they  wished  to  make  generous  and 
ample  appointments  for  those  who  aided  them,  and 
also  would  give  them  the  promise  of  subsequent 
more  ample  rewards. 

"  And,"  said  he,  with  marked  emphasis,  "  that 
the  ministry  may  have  an  opportunity  of  showing 
their  good  disposition  toward  yourself,  will  you  give 
me  leave,  Mr.  Franklin,  to  procure  for  you,  pre 
viously,  some  mark  of  it  ;  suppose  the  payment  here, 
of  the  arrears  of  your  salary  as  agent  for  New  Eng 
land,  which,  I  understand,  they  have  stopped  for 
some  time  past." 

It  will  be  remembered  that  Lord  Howe  was  sin 
cerely  the  friend  of  America,  and  that  he  anxiously 
desired  to  see  friendly  relations  restored.  Franklin 
therefore  restrained  his  displeasure,  and  courteously 
replied, 

"  My  Lord,  I  shall  deem  it  a  great  honor  to  be, 
in  any  shape,  joined  with  your  lordship  in  so  good 
a  work.  But  if  you  hope  service  from  any  influence 
I  may  be  supposed  to  have,  drop  all  thoughts  of 
procuring  me  any  previous  favors  from  ministers. 
My  accepting  them  would  destroy  the  very  influence 


BLOODHOUNDS   OF  WAR  UNLEASHED.         279 

you  propose  to  make  use  of.  They  would  be  con 
sidered  as  so  many  bribes  to  betray  the  interests  of 
my  country.  Only  let  me  see  the  propositions  and 
I  shall  not  hesitate  for  a  moment." 

Repeated  interviews  ensued,  between  Franklin 
and  both  the  friends  and  the  enemies  of  the  Ameri 
cans.  There  were  interminable  conferences.  But 
the -court  was  implacable  in  its  resolve,  to  maintain 
a  supreme  and  exclusive  control  over  the  colonies. 
Every  hour  of  Franklin's  time  was  engrossed. 
Merchants  and  manufacturers,  tories  and  the  oppo 
sition,  lords  temporal,  and  lords  spiritual,  all  called 
upon  him  with  their  several  plans.  There  were 
many  Americans  in  London,  including  a  large  num 
ber  of  Quakers.  These  crowded  the  apartment  of 
Franklin.  The  negotiations  were  terminated  by  a 
debate  in  the  House  of  Lords,  in  which  the  Ameri 
cans  were  assailed  in  the  vilest  language  of  insult 
and  abuse  which  can  be  coined.  Franklin  was  pres 
ent.  He  writes, 

"  We  were  treated  with  the  utmost  contempt,  as 
the  lowest  of  mankind,  and  almost  of  a  different 
species  from  the  English  of  Britain.  Particularly 
American  honesty  was  abused  by  some  of  the  lords, 
who  asserted  that  we  were  all  knaves,  and  wanted 
only,  by  this  dispute,  to  avoid  paying  our  debts." 

Franklin  returned  to  his  home,  with  feelings  of 


280  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

indignation,  which  his  calm  spirit  had  rarely  before 
experienced.  He  resolved  no  longer  to  have  any 
thing  to  do  with  the  hostile  governing  powers  of 
England.  He  had  loved  the  British  empire.  He 
felt  proud  of  its  renown,  and  that  America  was  but 
part  and  parcel  of  its  greatness.  But  there  was  no 
longer  hope,  that  there  could  be  any  escape  from 
the  awful  appeal  to  arms.  Though  that  measure 
would  be  fraught  with  inconceivable  woes  for  his 
countrymen,  he  was  assured  that  they  would  never' 
submit.  They  would  now  march  to  independence 
though  the  path  led  through  scenes  of  conflagration, 
blood  and  unutterable  woe.  His  experience  placed 
him  in  advance  of  all  his  countrymen. 

Franklin  immediately  commenced  packing  his 
trunks.  Astonishing,  almost  incredible  as  it  may 
appear,  the  evidence  seems  conclusive  that  through 
all  these  trying  scenes,  Franklin  was  a  cheerful,  it  is 
hardly  too  strong  a  word  to  use,  a  jovial  man.  It 
has  been  well  said,  that  to  be  angry  is  to  punish 
one's  self  for  the  sins  of  another.  Our  philosopher 
had  no  idea  of  making  himself  unhappy,  because 
British  lords  behaved  like  knaves.  He  continued  to 
be  one  of  the  most  entertaining  of  companions.  A 
cloudless  sun  seemed  to  shine  wherever  he  moved. 
He  made  witty  speeches.  He  wrote  the  most  amus 
ing  articles  for  the  journals,  and  the  invariable 


BLOODHOUNDS   OF  WAR  UNLEASHED.         28 1 

gayety  of  his  mind  caused  his  society  to  be  eagerly 
sought  for. 

One  evening  he  attended  quite  a  brilliant  party 
at  a  nobleman's  house,  who  was  a  friend  to  America. 
The  conversation  chanced  to  turn  upon  Esop's 
fables.  It  was  said  that  that  mine  of  illustration 
was  exhausted.  Franklin,  after  a  moment's  thought, 
remarked,  that  many  new  fables  could  be  invented, 
as  instructive  as  any  of  those  of  Ssop,  Gay,  or  La 
Fontaine.  Can  you  think  of  one  now,  asked  a  lord. 
"  I  think  so,"  said  Franklin,  "if  you  will  furnish  me 
with  pencil  and  paper."  He  immediately  sat  down, 
surrounded  by  the  gay  assembly,  and  wrote,  as  rap- 

• 

idly  as  his  pencil  could  move, 

"  THE   EAGLE   AND   THE  CAT." 

"  Once  upon  a  time  an  eagle,  scaling  'round  a 
farmer's  barn,  and  espying  a  hare,  darted  down  upon 
him  like  a  sunbeam,  seized  him  in  his  claws,  and 
remounted  with  him  into  the  air.  He  soon  found 
that  he  had  a  creature  of  more  courage  and  strength 
than  the  hare ;  for  which  he  had  mistaken  a  cat. 
The  snarling  and  scrambling  of  his  prey  were  very 
inconvenient.  And  what  was  worse,  she  had  disen 
gaged  herself  from  his  talons,  grasped  his  body  with 
her  four  limbs,  so  as  to  stop  his  breath,  and  seized 
fast  hold  of  his  throat,  with  her  teeth. 


"282  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

"  '  Pray,'  said  the  eagle,  l  let  go  your  hold,  and  I 
will  release  you.' 

"  l  Very  fine,'  said  the  cat.  {  But  I  have  no  fancy 
to  fall  from  this  height,  and  to  be  crushed  to  death. 
You  have  taken  me  up,  and  you  shall  stoop  and  let 
me  down.' 

"  The  eagle  thought  it  necessary  to  stoop  accord 
ingly." 

This  admirable  fable  was  read  to  the  company ; 
and,  as  all  were  in  sympathy  with  America,  it  was 
received  with  great  applause.  Little,  however,  did 
any  of  them  then  imagine,  how  invincible  was  the 
animal  the  British  government  was  about  to  clutch 
in  its  talons,  supposing  it  to  be  a  defenseless  hare. 

Franklin  spent  his  last  day  in  London  with  Dr. 
Priestly.  The  Doctor  bears  glowing  testimony  to  his 
admirable  character.  Many  thought  Dr.  Franklin 
heartless,  since,  in  view  of  all  the  horrors  of  a  civil 
war,  his  hilarity  was  never  interrupted.  Priestly, 
alluding  to  this  charge  against  Franklin,  says,  that 
they  spent  the  day  looking  over  the  American 
papers,  and  extracting  from  them  passages  to  be 
published  in  England.  "  In  reading  them,"  he 
writes,  "  Franklin  was  frequently  not  able  to  pro 
ceed  for  the  tears  literally  running  down  his  cheeks." 
Upon  his  departure,  he  surrendered  his  agency  to 
Arthur  Lee.  It  was  the  2 1st  of  March,  1775,  when 


BLOODHOUNDS   OF   WAR   UNLEASHED.         283 

Franklin  embarked  at  Portsmouth,  in  a  Pennsyl 
vania  packet. 

Franklin  was  apprehensive  until  the  last  mo 
ment,  that  he  would  not  be  permitted  to  depart  ; 
that  the  court,  which  had  repeatedly  denounced  him 
as  a  traitor,  would  arrest  him  on  some  frivolous 
charge.  On  the  voyage  he  wrote  a  minute  narrative 
of  his  diplomatic  career,  occupying  two  hundred  and 
fifty  pages  of  foolscap.  This  important  document 
was  given  to  his  son  William  Franklin,  who  was  daily 
becoming  a  more  inveterate  tory,  endeavoring  to 
ingratiate  himself  into  favor  with  the  court,  from 
which  he  had  received  the  appointment  of  governor. 

Franklin  also  sent  a  copy  to  Mr.  Jefferson,  perhaps 
apprehensive  that  his  son  might  not  deal  fairly  with 
a  document  which  so  terribly  condemned  the  British 
government.  The  Governor  subsequently  published 
the  narrative.  But  there  is  reason  to  suppose  that 
he  suppressed  those  passages,  which  revealed  most 
clearly  the  atrocious  conduct  of  the  British  cabinet. 
Jefferson  wrote  some  years  later,  alluding  to  this 
document : 

"  I  remember  that  Lord  North's  answers  were 
dry,  unyielding,  in  the  spirit  of  unconditional  sub 
mission,  and  betrayed  an  absolute  indifference  to 
the  occurrence  of  a  rupture.  And  he  said  to  the 
mediators  distinctly,  at  last,  that  a  rebellion  was  not 


284  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

to  be  deprecated  on  the  part  of  Great  Britain ;  that 
the  confiscations  it  would  produce,  would  provide 
for  many  of  their  friends." 

The  idea  that  the  feeble  Americans,  scattered  along 
a  coast  more  than  a  thousand  miles  in  extent,  without 
a  fortress,  a  vessel  of  war,  or  a  regiment  of  regular 
troops,  could  withstand  the  fleets  and  armies  of 
Great  Britain,  was  never  entertained  for  a  moment. 
Indeed,  as  we  now  contemplate  the  fearful  odds,  it 
causes  one's  heart  to  throb,  and  we  cannot  but  be 
amazed  at  the  courage  which  our  patriotic  fathers 
displayed. 

It  was  a  common  boast  in  England,  that  one  regi 
ment  of  British  regulars  could  march  from  Boston 
to  Charleston,  and  sweep  all  opposition  before  them. 
A  band  of  ten  wolves  can  put  a  flock  of  ten  thou 
sand  sheep  to  flight.  It  was  quite  a  pleasant  thought, 
to  the  haughty  court,  that  one  or  two  ships  of  war, 
and  two  or  three  regiments  could  be  sent  across  the 
Atlantic,  seize  and  hang  Washington,  Franklin, 
Adams,  Jefferson,  and  others  of  our  leading  pa 
triots,  and  confiscate  the  property  of  hundreds  of 
others,  for  the  enrichment  of  the  favorites  of  the 
crown. 

"  There  will  be  no  fighting  ;  "  these  deluded  men 
said,  "  it  will  be  a  mere  holiday  excursion.  The 
turbulent  and  foolhardy  Americans  will  be  brought 


BLOODHOUNDS   OF   WAR   UNLEASHED.         285 

to  their  senses,  and,  like  whipped  spaniels,  will  fawn 
upon  the  hand  which  has  chastised  them." 

The  voyage  across  the  Atlantic  occupied  six 
weeks.  In  the  evening  twilight  of  the  5th  of  May, 
the  ship  dropped  anchor  in  the  Delaware,  opposite 
Philadelphia.  Franklin  landed,  and  walked  alone 
through  the  darkened  streets  towards  his  home.  It 
is  difficult  to  imagine  the  emotions  with  which  his 
heart .  must  have  been  agitated  in  that  hour.  Ten 
years  had  elapsed  since  he  left  his  home.  In  the 
meantime  his  wife  had  reared  another  dwelling,  in 
Market  street,  and  there  she  had  died.  He  had  left, 
his  daughter  Sarah,  a  child  of  twelve  years.  He  was 
to  find  her  a  matron  surrounded  by  her  babes. 

*  Cordially  Franklin  was  welcomed  home.  The 
whole  country  resounded  with  the  praises  he  so 
richly  merited.  The  morning  after  his  arrival  he 
was  unanimously  chosen  by  the  Assembly,  then  in 
session,  as  a  member  of  the  Continental  Congress, 
which  was  to  meet  on  the  loth  of  the  month,  in 
that  city.  Sixteen  days  before  Franklin's  arrival 
the  memorable  conflicts  of  Lexington  and  Concord 
had  taken  place.  Probably  never  were  men  more 
astounded,  than  were  the  members  of  the  British 
cabinet,  in  learning  that  the  British  regulars  had 
been  defeated,  routed  and  put  to  precipitate  flight 
by  American  farmers  with  their  fowling-pieces.  In 


286  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

this  heroic  conflict,  whose  echoes  reverberated  around 
the  world,  the  Americans  lost  in  killed  and  wounded 
eighty-three.  The  British  lost  two  hundred  and 
seventy-three.  Franklin  wrote  to  his  friend  Ed 
mund  Burke, 

"  Gen.  Gage's  troops  made  a  most  vigorous  re 
treat — twenty  miles  in  three  hours — scarce  to  be 
paralleled  in  history.  The  feeble  Americans,  who 
pelted  them  all  the  way,  could  scarce  keep  up  with 
them." 

On  the  loth  of  May  Congress  met.  There  were 
still  two  parties,  one  in  favor  of  renewed  attempts  at 
conciliation,  before  drawing  the  sword  and  throwing 
away  the  scabbard  ;  the  other  felt  that  the  powers 
of  conciliation  were  exhausted,  and  that  nothing  now 
remained,  but  the  arbitrament  of  war. 

George  Washington  was  chosen,  by  the  Assem 
bly,  Commander-ia-Chief  of  the  American  forces. 
On  the  I /th  of  June  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill  was 
fought.  Mr.  John  Dickinson  trembled  in  view  of  his 
great  wealth.  His  wife  entreated  him  to  withdraw 
from  the  conflict.  Piteously  she  urged  the  consider 
ations,  that  he  would  be  hung,  his  wife  left  a  widow, 
and  his  children  beggared  and  rendered  infamous. 
He  succeeded  in  passing  a  resolution  in  favor  of  a 
second  petition  to  the  king,  which  he  drew  up,  and 
which  the  tory  Governor  Richard  Penn  was  to  pre- 


BLOODHOUNDS   OF   WAR   UNLEASHED.         28/ 

sent.  John  Adams,  who  was  weary  of  having  his 
country  continue  in  the  attitude  of  a  suppliant 
kneeling  at  the  foot  of  the  throne,  opposed  this 
petition,  as  a  "  measure  of  imbecility." 

One  of  the  first  acts  of  Congress  was  to  organize  a 
system  for  the  safe  conveyance  of  letters,  which 
could  no  longer  be  trusted  in  the  hands  of  the  agents 
of  the  British  Court.  Franklin  was  appointed  Post 
master  General.  He  had  attained  the  age  of  sixty 
nine  years.  Notwithstanding  his  gravity  of  charac 
ter  and  his  great  wisdom,  he  had  unfortunately 
become  an  inveterate  joker.  He  could  not  refrain 
from  inserting,  even  in  his  most  serious  and  earnest 
documents,  some  witticism,  which  men  of  the  inten 
sity  of  soul  of  John  Adams  and  Thomas  Jefferson, 
felt  to  be  out  of  place.  Still  the  wisdom  of  his  coun 
sels  invariably  commanded  respect.  Upon  learning 
of  the  burning  of  Charleston,  he  wrote  to  Dr. 
Priestly,  * 

*  "  And  here  perhaps  we  have  one  of  the  reasons  why  Dr.  Frank 
lin,  who  was  universally  confessed  to  be  the  ablest  pen  in  America, 
was  not  always  asked  to  write  the  great  documents  of  the  Revolution. 
He  would  have  put  a  joke  into  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  it 
it  had  fallen  to  him  to  write  it.  At  this  time  he  was  a  humorist  of 
fifty  years  standing,  and  had  become  fixed  in  the  habit  of  illustrating 
great  truths  by  grotesque  and  familiar  similes.  His  jokes,  the  circu 
lating  medium  of  Congress,  were  as  helpful  to  the  cause,  as  Jay's  con 
science  or  Adams'  fire  ;  they  restored  good  humor,  and  relieved  the 
tedium  of  delay,  but  were  out  of  place  in  formal,  exact  and  authori 
tative  papers." — Partoris  Franklin,  vol.  2.  p.  85. 


288  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

"  England  has  begun  to  burn  our  seaport  towns, 
secure,  I  suppose,  that  we  shall  never  be  able  to 
return  the  outrage  in  kind.  She  may,  doubtless, 
destroy  them  all.  But  if  she  wishes  to  recover  our 
commerce,  are  these  the  probable  means  ?  She 
must  certainly  be  distracted  ;  for  no  tradesman,  out 
of  Bedlam,  ever  thought  of  increasing  the  number  of 
his  customers  by  knocking  them  in  the  head  ;  or  of 
enabling  them  to  pay  their  debts  by  burning  their 
houses." 

One  of  Franklin's  jokes,  in  Congress,  is  very 
characteristic  of  the  man.  It  was  urged  that  the 
Episcopal  clergy  should  be  directed  to  refrain  from 
praying  for  the  king.  Franklin  quenched  the  inju 
dicious  movement  with  a  witticism. 

"  The  measure  is  quite  unnecessary,"  said  he. 
"  The  Episcopal  clergy,  to  my  certain  knowledge, 
have  been  constantly  praying,  these  twenty  years, 
that  *  God  would  give  to  the  king  and  council  wis 
dom.'  And  we  all  know  that  not  the  least  notice 
has  been  taken  of  that  prayer.  So  it's  plain  that 
those  gentlemen  have  no  interest  in  the  court  of 
Heaven." 

If  we  sow  the  wind  we  must  reap  the  whirlwind. 
Terrible  was  the  mortification  and  mental  suffering 
which  Franklin  endured  from  the  governor  of  New 
Jersey.  He  had  lived  down  the  prejudices  con- 


BLOODHOUNDS   OF   WAR   UNLEASHED.         289 

nected  with  his  birth  and  had  become  an  influential 
and  popular  man.  He.  with  increasing  tenacity 
adhered  to  the  British  Government,  and  became 
even  the  malignant  opponent  of  the  Americans.  He 
pronounced  the  idea  of  their  successfully  resisting 
the  power  of  Great  Britain,  as  utterly  absurd.  His 
measures  became  so  atrocious,  as  to  excite  the  indig 
nation  of  the  people  of  New  Jersey.  The  Assembly 
finally  arrested  him  and  sent  him,  under  guard,  to 
Burlington.  As  he  continued  contumacious  and 
menacing,  Congress  ordered  him  to  be  removed  to 
Connecticut.  The  Constitutional  Gazette  of  July 
1 3th,  1 776,  contains  the  following  allusion  to  this  affair : 

"  Day  before  yesterday  Governor  Franklin,  of 
New  Jersey,  passed  through  Hartford,  on  his  way  to 
Governor  Trumbull.  Mr.  Franklin  is  a  noted  tory 
and  ministerial  tool,  and  has  been  exceedingly  busy 
in  perplexing  the  cause  of  liberty,  and  in  serving 
the  designs  of  the  British  king  and  his  ministers. 

"  He  is  son  to  Dr.  Benjamin  Franklin,  the  genius 
of  the  day,  and  the  great  patron  of  American  liber 
ty.  If  his  excellency  escapes  the  vengeance  of  the 
people,  due  to  the  enormity  of  his  crimes,  his  re 
demption  will  flow,  not  from  his  personal  merit,  but 
from  the  high  esteem  and  veneration  which  the 
country  entertains  for  his  honored  father." 

His  family  was  left  in  deep  affliction.  Franklin 
13 


2QO  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

sent  them  both  sympathy  and  money.  The  captive 
governor  resided  at  Middletown  on  parole.  Here 
the  infatuated  man  gathered  around  him  a  band  of 
tories,  many  of  whom  were  rich,  and  held  convivial 
meetings  exceedingly  exasperating,  when  British 
armies  were  threatening  the  people  with  conflagra 
tion  and  carnage. 

Inflamed  with  wine,  these  bacchanals  sang  trea 
sonable  songs,  the  whole  company  joining  in  chorus, 
with  uproar  which  drew  large  groups  around  the 
house.  The  tories  professed  utterly  to  despise  the 
patriots,  and  doubted  not  that  their  leaders  would 
all  soon  be  hung.  One  midnight  the  governor, 
with  his  boon  companions,  having  indulged  in  the 
wildest  of  their  orgies,  sallied  into  the  streets,  with 
such  uproar  as  to  make  night  hideous.  The  watch 
found  it  needful  to  interfere.  The  drunken  gov 
ernor  called  one  of  them  a  damned  villain  and 
threatened  to  flog  him.  A  report  of  these  proceed 
ings  was  sent  to  Congress, 

Soon  after  it  was  ascertained  that  he  was  an 
active  agent  for  the  British  ministry.  He  was  then 
confined  in  Litchfield  jail,  and  deprived  of  pen,  ink 
and  paper.  For  two  years  he  suffered  this  well- 
merited  imprisonment.  Mrs.  governor  Franklin 
never  saw  her  husband  again.  Grief-stricken,  she 
fell  sick,  and  died  in  New  York  in  July,  1778. 


BLOODHOUNDS   OF   WAR   UNLEASHED.          2QI 

After  an  imprisonment  of  two  years  and  four 
months,  William  Franklin  was  exchanged,  and  he 
took  refuge  within  the  British  lines  at  New  York. 
He  received  a  pension  from  the  British  government, 
lived  hilariously,  and  devoted  his  energies  to  a  vig 
orous  prosecution  of  the  war  against  his  country 
men.  .  Franklin  felt  deeply  this  defection  of  his  son. 
After  the  lapse  of  nine  years  he  wrote, 

"  Nothing  has  ever  affected  me  with  such  keen 
sensations,  as  to  find  myself  deserted  in  my  old  age 
by  my  only  son  ;  and  not  only  deserted  but  to  find 
him  taking  up  arms  in  a  cause  wherein  my  good 
Tame,  fortune  and  life  were  at  stake."  ~x" 

*  Upon  the  overthrow  of  the  royalist  cause,  Governor  Franklin 
with  other  tories  went  to  England.  Government  gave  him  outright 
eighteen  hundred  pounds,  and  settled  upon  him  a  pension  of  eight 
hundred  pounds  a  year.  After  the  lapse  of  ten  years  he  sought  recon 
ciliation  with  his  father.  He  lived  to  the  age  of  eighty-two  and  died 
in  London,  in  1813. 


CHAPTER   XIII. 

Progress  of  the   War,  both  of  Diplomacy  and  the 
Sword. 

Letter  of  Henry  Laurens — Franklin  visits  the  army  before  Boston 
— Letter  of  Mrs.  Adams — Burning  of  Falmouth — Franklin's 
journey  to  Montreal — The  Declaration  of  Independence — Anec 
dote  of  the  Hatter — Framing  the  Constitution — Lord  Howe's 
Declaration — Franklin's  reply — The  Conference — Encouraging 
letter  from  France — Franklin's  embassy  to  France — The  two' 
parties  in  France — The  voyage — The  reception  in  France. 

THE  spirit  which,  almost  to  that  hour,  had  ani 
mated  the  people  of  America, — the  most  illustrious 
statesmen  and  common  people,  was  attachment  to 
Old  England.  Their  intense  desire  to  maintain 
friendly  relations  with  the  mother  country,  their 
"  home,"  their  revered  and  beloved  home,  may  be 
inferred  from  the  following  extract  from  a  letter, 
which  one  of  the  noblest  of  South  Carolinians,  Hon. 
Henry  Laurens,  wrote  to  his  son  John.  It  bears 
the  date  of  1776.  He  writes,  alluding  to  the  sepa 
ration  from  England,  then  beginning  to  be  con 
templated  : 

"  I   can   not   rejoice   in   the   downfall   of  an    old 


PROGRESS   OF   THE   WAR.  293 

friend,  of  a  parent  from  whose  nurturing  breasts  I 
have  drawn  my  support  and  strength.  Every  evil 
which  befalls  old  England  grieves  me.  Would  to 
God  she  had  listened,  in  time,  to  the  cries  of  her 
children.  If  my  own  interests,  if  my  own  rights 
alone  had  been  concerned,  I  would  most  freely  have 
given  the  whole  to  the  demands  and  disposal  of  her 
ministers,  in  preference  to  a  separation.  But  the 
rights  of  posterity  were  involved  in  the  question. 
I  happened  to  stand  as  one  of  their  representatives, 
and  dared  not  betray  their  trust." 

Washington,  Adams,  Jay,  would  have  made  al 
most  any  conceivable  sacrifice  of  their  personal 
interest,  if  they  could  have  averted  the  calamity  of 
a  separation  from  the  home  of  their  ancestors.  But 
the  conduct  of  the  British  Cabinet  was  not  only 
despotic,  in  the  highest  degree,  but  it  was  insolent 
and  contemptuous  beyond  all  endurance.  It 
seemed  to  be  generally  assumed  that  a  man,  if  born 
on  the  majestic  continent  of  North  America,  in 
stead  of  being  born  on  their  little  island,  must  be  an 
inferior  being.  They  regarded  Americans  as  slave 
holders  were  accustomed  to  regard  the  negro. 
Almost  every  interview  resolved  itself  into  an  insult. 
Courteous  intercourse  was  impossible.  Affection 
gave  place  to  detestation. 

On    the     1 3th    of    September,    1775,    Congress 


294  BENJAMIN    FRANKLIN. 

assembled  in  Philadelphia.  Lexington,  Bunker 
Hill,  and  other  hostile  acts  of  our  implacable  foes, 
had  thrown  the  whole  country  into  the  most 
intense  agitation.  Military  companies  were  every 
where  being  organized.  Musket  manufactories  and 
powder  mills  were  reared.  Ladies  were  busy  scrap 
ing  lint,  and  preparing  bandages.  And  what  was 
the  cause  of  all  this  commotion,  which  converted 
America,  for  seven  years,  into  an  Aceldama  of 
blood  and  woe? 

It  was  that  haughty,  insolent  men  in  England, 
claimed  the  right  to  impose  taxes,  to  whatever 
amount  they  pleased,  upon  their  brother  men  in 
America.  They  did  not  blush  to  say,  "  It  is  the 
prerogative  of  us  Englishmen  to  demand  of  you 
Americans  such  sums  of  money  as  we  want.  Un 
less,  like  obsequious  slaves,  you  pay  the  money, 
without  murmuring,  we  will  burn  your  cities  and 
deluge  your  whole  land  in  blood." 

Washington  was  assembling  quite  an  army  of 
American  troops  around  Boston,  holding  the  foe  in 
close  siege  there.  Franklin  was  sent,  by  Congress, 
as  one  of  a  committee  of  three,  to  confer  with 
Washington  upon  raising  and  supplying  the  Ameri 
can  army.  Amidst  all  these  terrific  excitements  and 
perils  this  wonderful  man  could  not  refrain  from 
giving  expression  to  his  sense  of  the  ludicrous. 


PROGRESS   OF  THE   WAR.  295 

The  day  before  leaving  Philadelphia,  he  wrote  to 
Dr.  Priestly  the  following  humorous  summary  of 
the  result  of  the  British  operations  thus  far. 

"  Britain  at  the  expense  of  three  millions,  has 
killed  one  hundred  and  fifty  Yankees  this  campaign, 
which  is  twenty  thousand  pounds  a  head.  And,  at 
Bunker  Hill,  she  gained  a  mile  of  ground,  half  of 
which  she  lost  again  by  our  taking  post  on  Ploughed 
Hill.  During  the  same  time  sixty  thousand  chil 
dren  have  been  born  in  America.  From  these  data, 
Dr.  Price's  mathematical  head  will  easily  calculate 
the  time  and  expense  necessary  to  kill  us  all,  and 
conquer  our  whole  territory." 

It  required  a  journey  of  thirteen  days,  for  the 
Commissioners  to  pass  from  Philadelphia  to  Cam 
bridge.  On  the  4th  of  October  they  reached  the 
camp.  Mrs.  John  Adams,  who  was  equal  to  her 
husband  in  patriotism,  in  intellectual  ability  and  in 
self-denial,  writes, 

"  I  had  the  pleasure  of  dining  with  Dr.  Franklin, 
and  of  admiring  him  whose  character,  from  infancy, 
I  had  been  taught  to  venerate.  I  found  him  social, 
but  not  talkative  ;  and  when  he  spoke,  something 
useful  dropped  from  his  tongue.  He  was  grave,  yet 
pleasant  and  affable.  You  know  I  make  some  pre 
tensions  to  physiognomy,  and  I  thought  that  I  could 
read  in  his  countenance,  the  virtues  of  his  heart ; 


296  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

and  with  that  is  blended  every  virtue  of  a  Christian." 
The  conference  lasted  four  days,  and  resulted  in 
the  adoption  of  very  important  measures.  While  in 
the  camp,  news  came  of  the  burning  of  Portland, 
then  Falmouth.  It  was  a  deed  which  would  have 
disgraced  American  savages.  The  town  was  entirely 
defenceless.  It  held  out  no  menace  whatever  to  the 
foe.  The  cold  blasts  of  a  Maine  winter  were  at  hand. 
A  British  man-of-war  entered  the  harbor,  and  giving 
but  a  few  hours  notice,  that  the  sick  and  the  dying 
might  be  removed,  and  that  the  women  and  children 
might  escape  from  shot  and  shell,  to  the  frozen  fields, 
one  hundred  and  thirty  humble,  peaceful  homes  wrere 
laid  in  ashes.  The  cruel  flames  consumed  nearly  all 
their  household  furniture,  their  clothing  and  the  fru 
gal  food  they  had  laid  in  store  for  their  long  and 
dreary  winter.  A  few  houses  escaped  the  shells. 
Marines  were  landed  to  apply  the  torch  to  them, 
that  the  destruction  might  be  complete. 

There  were  several  vessels  in  the  harbor.  The 
freezing,  starving,  homeless  wives  and  daughters  who 
had  not  strength  to  toil  through  the  wilderness  to 
seek  distant  cabins  of  refuge,  might  perhaps  escape 
in  them.  To  prevent  this  they  were  burned  to  the 
water's  edge.  It  was  an  infernal  deed.  It  struck  .to 
the  very  heart  of  America.  Even  now,  after  a  lapse 
of  one  hundred  years,  no  American  can  read  an  ac- 


PROGRESS   OF  THE   WAR.  297 

count  of  this  outrage  without  the  flushed  cheek  and 
the  moistened  eye  which  indignation  creates.  Mrs. 
Adams  wrote, 

"  I  could  not  join  to-day  in  the  petitions  of  our 
worthy  pastor  for  a  reconciliation  between  our  no 
longer  parent,  but  tyrant  state,  and  these  colonies. 
Let  us  separate.  They  are  no  longer  worthy  to  be 
our  brethren.  Let  us  renounce  them,  and  instead 
of  supplications,  as  formerly  for  their  prosperity  and 
happiness,  let  us  beseech  the  Almighty  to  blast  their 
councils  and  bring  to  naught  all  their  devices." 

Though  Franklin  was  the  sweetest  tempered  of 
men,  he  returned  to  Philadelphia  with  his  spirit 
greatly  embittered  against  the  demoniac  foes  of  his 
country.  For  some  time  no  jokes  escaped  his  lips 
or  pen.  In  December,  Arnold,  then  a  patriot  and  a 
brave  soldier,  had  made  an  unsuccessful  attack  upon 
Quebec.  He  had  retired  to  Montreal.  Franklin 
was  again  appointed  one  of  these  commissioners,  to 
visit  Arnold  and  advise  respecting  Canadian  affairs. 

Most  of  the  Canadians  were  Catholics.  One  of 
the  commissioners  was  Charles  Carroll  of  Carollton. 
He  had  a  brother  John,  a  Catholic  priest,  a  man  of 
high  culture,  of  irreproachable  character  and  a  sin 
cere  patriot.  He  was  perfectly  familiar  with  the 
French  language.  By  the  solicitation  of  Congress 
he  was  induced  to  accompany  his  brother  on  this 


298  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

mission.  It  was  hoped  that  he  would  be  able  to  ex 
ert  a  powerful  influence  over  the  Canadian  clergy. 
Franklin  and  John  Carroll  became  intimate  and  lov 
ing  friends.  It  speaks  well  for  both,  that  the  free- 
thinking  philosopher,  and  the  Catholic  priest  could 
so  recognize  each  other's  virtues,  as  to  forget  their 
speculative  differences  in  mutual  regard. 

There  was  before  the  commissioners,  a  very  la 
borious  journey  of  five  hundred  miles,  much  of  it 
leading  through  an  almost  unexplored  wilderness. 
It  shows  great  zeal  in  Franklin,  that  at  the  a'ge  of 
seventy,  he  was  willing  to  encounter  such  exposure. 

Late  in  March,  the  commissioners  left  Philadel 
phia.  In  two  days  they  reached  New  York.  They 
found  the  place  deserted  of  its  inhabitants.  It  was 
held  but  by  a  few  soldiers,  as  it  was  hourly  expected 
that  the  British,  from  their  fleet  and  batteries,  would 
open  upon  it  a  terrific  bombardment.  How  little 
can  we  imagine  the  sufferings  which  must  ensue, 
when  thousands  of  families  are  driven,  in  terror, 
from  their  homes,  from  all  their  means  of  support, 
to  go  they  know  not  where,  and  to  live  they  know 
not  how. 

A  few  sad  days  were  passed  in  the  ruined  town, 
and  on  the  2d  of  April  the  party  embarked,  at  five 
in  the  afternoon,  in  a  packet  for  Albany.  At  seven 
o'clock  in  the  morning  of  the  4th  day,  after  an 


PROGRESS  OF  THE  WAR.  299 

eventful  voyage,  in  which  they  narrowly  escaped 
shipwreck  from  a  gale  in  the  Highlands,  they  landed 
at  Albany,  where  they  were  hospitably  entertained 
by  General  Schuyler. 

After  a  brief  rest,  on  the  9th,  they  set  out  for 
Saratoga,  which  was  distant  about  thirty-two  miles. 
They  were  conveyed  over  an  exceedingly  rough 
road  of  rocks,  and  corduroy  and  mire,  in  a  large, 
heavy,  country  wagon.  From  this  place,  Franklin 
wrote, 

"  I  begin  to  apprehend  that  I  have  undertaken  a 
fatigue  which,  at  my  time  of  life,  may  prove  too 
much  for  me." 

After  a  short  tarry  at  the  country  seat  of  General 
Sullivan  at  Saratoga,  the  party  moved  on  toward 
Lake  George.  In  those  northern  latitudes  the 
ground  was  still  covered  with  snow,  and  the  lake 
was  filled  with  floating  ice.  Two  days  of  very  ex 
hausting  travel  brought  them  to  the  southern  shore 
of  the  beautiful  but  then  dreary  lake.  Here  they 
took  a  large  boat,  thirty-six  feet  long,  and  eight 
broad.  It  was  what  was  called  a  bateau,  which 
was  flat-bottomed,  and  was  but  one  foot  in  depth. 
There  was  one  mast,  and  a  blanket  sail,  which  was 
available  when  the  wind  was  directly  aft.  There  was 
no  cabin.  A  mere  awning  sheltered  partially  from 
wind  and  rain. 


3OO  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

Thus  they  crept  across  the  lake,  through  masses 
of  ice,  a  distance  of  thirty-six  miles,  in  thirty-six 
hours.  There  was  a  neck  of  land,  four  miles  in 
breadth,  which  separated  Lake  George  from  Lake 
Champlain.  The  heavy  boat,  placed  on  wheels,  was 
dragged  across  by  six  yoke  of  oxen.  A  delay  of 
five  days  was  thus  caused,  before  they  were  ready  to 
embark  on  .the  latter  lake.  The  navigation  of  this 
small  sheet  of  water,  surrounded  by  the  primeval 
forest,  and  with  scarcely  the  cabin  of  a  white  man 
to  be  seen,  must  have  been  romantic  indeed. 

They  sailed  when  the  wind  favored,  and  rowed 
when  it  was  adverse.  At  night  they  ran  ashore, 
built  their  camp  fire,  which  illumined  lake  and  for 
est,  boiled  their  coffee,  cooked  their  viands,  and, 
some  under  the  awning,  and  some  under  the  shelter 
of  a  hastily  constructed  camp,  slept  sweetly.  The 
ice  greatly  impeded  their  progress.  In  three  and  a 
half  days,  they  reached  St.  John's,  near  the  upper 
end  of  the  lake.  The  toilsome  journey  of  another 
day,  brought  them  to  Montreal.  None  of  the  com 
missioners  were  accustomed  to  thus  roughing  it. 
All  were  greatly  exhausted. 

A  council  of  war  was  convened.  Canada  was 
clearly  lost  to  the  Americans.  It  was  at  once  de 
cided  that  nothing  remained  but  to  withdraw  the 
troops.  Early  in  June,  Franklin  reached  Philadel- 


PROGRESS   OF  THE  WAR.  301 

phia,  from  his  toilsome  journey.  He  had  been 
absent  about  ten  weeks.  The  doom  of  the  proprie 
tary  government  over  Pennsylvania,  was  now  sealed. 
Congress  had  voted  that  all  authority  derived  from 
the  king  of  England,  was  extinct.  A  conference  of 
delegates  was  appointed  to  organize  a  new  govern 
ment  for  the  province.  Franklin  was,  of  course, 
one  of  these  delegates.  A  committee  had  been 
appointed,  by  Congress,  to  draw  up  a  Declaration 
of  Independence.  The  committee  consisted  of 
Jefferson,  Franklin,  Adams,  Livingston,  and  Sher 
man. 

The  immortal  document,  as  all  the  world  knows, 
came  from  the  pen  of  Jefferson.  It  was  offered  to 
Congress  for  acceptance.  Many  frivolous  objec 
tions  were,  of  course,  presented.  One  man  thought 
this  phrase  a,  little  too  severe.  Another  thought 
that  a  little  too  lenient.  Franklin  sat  by  the  side 
of  Jefferson,  as  the  admirable  document  was  sub 
jected  to  this  assailment.  Turning  to  him  he  said, 
in  one  of  the  most  characteristic  and  popular  of  all 
his  utterances, 

"  When  I  was  a  journeyman  printer,  one  of  my 
companions,  an  apprenticed  hatter,  was  about  to 
open  a  shop  for  himself.  His  first  concern  was  to 
have  a  handsome  sign-board,  with  a  proper  inscrip 
tion.  He  composed  it  in  these  words, 


3O2  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

"  John  Thompson,  Hatter,  makes  and  sells  Hats 
for  ready  Money." 

But  he  thought  he  would  submit  it  to  his  friends 
for  their  amendments.  The  first  he  showed  it  to, 
thought  the  word  hatter  tautologous  ;  because  fol 
lowed  by  the  words  makes  hats,  which  showed  that 
he  was  a  hatter.  It  was  struck  out.  The  next  ob 
served  that  the  word  makes,  might  as  well  be 
omitted,  because  his  customers  \vould  not  care  who 
made  the  hats  ;  if  good,  and  to  their  mind,  they 
would  buy,  by  whomsoever  made.  He  struck  it  out. 
A  third  said  he  thought  the  words,  for  ready  money, 
were  useless  ;  as  it  was  not  the  custom  of  the  place 
to  sell  on  credit.  Every  one  who  purchased,  ex 
pected  to  pay.  They  were  parted  with.  The 
inscription  now  stood, 

"  John  Thompson  sells  hats." 

"  Sells  hats,"  says  his  next  friend.  "  Why  no 
body  will  expect  you  to  give  them  away.  What 
then  is  the  use  of  that  word  ?  "  It  was  stricken  out, 
and  hats  followed,  the  rather  as  there  was  one 
painted  on  the  board.  So  his  inscription  was  re 
duced  ultimately  to  John  Thompson,  with  the  figure 
of  a  hat  subjoined." 

It  will  be  remembered  the  readiness  with  which 
Dr.  Franklin,  on  the  spur  of  the  moment,  threw 
off  the  admirable  fable  of  the  Eagle  and  the  Hare. 


PROGRESS  OF  THE  WAR.  303 

It  is  altogether  probable  that,  in  the  inexhaustible 
resources  of  his  genius,,  he  improvised  this  anecdote 
to  meet  the  exigencies  of  the  occasion. 

When  the  Hessian  troops,  whom  England  had 
hired  of  a  German  prince,  arrived,  intelligent  men 
in  this  country  pitied  rather  than  blamed  those 
simple  hearted  peasants,  who  had  no  animosity 
whatever,  against  the  Americans.  They  had  been 
compelled,  by  their  feudal  lord,  who  was  really  their 
slave  master,  to  leave  their  lowly  homes  on  the 
Rhine,  to  unite  with  English  regulars  and  painted 
savages,  in  burning  the  homes  and  butchering  the 
people  struggling  for  existence  in  the  wilderness  of 
the  New  World. 

Again  the  all  availing  pen  of  Franklin  was  called 
into  requisition.  By  direction  of  Congress  he  drew 
up  a  friendly  address  to  these  unfortunate  men,  offer 
ing  every  German,  who  would  abandon  the  ignomini 
ous  service  to  which  his  prince  had  sold  him,  a  tract 
of  rich  land  sufficient  for  an  ample  farm.  The  address 
was  translated  into  German.  Various  were  the  de 
vices  adopted,  to  give  the  document  circulation  in 
the  Hessian  camp.  It  doubtless  exerted  a  powerful 
influence,  in  disarming  these  highly  disciplined 
troops  of  all  animosity.  The  effect  was  perhaps 
seen  in  the  spectacle  witnessed  a  few  weeks  after 
wards,  when  nine  hundred  of  these  soldiers  were  led 


304  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

through  the  streets  of  Philadelphia,  prisoners  of  war. 
It  is  not  improbable  that  many  of  them  were  more 
than  willing  to  throw  down  their  arms. 

On  the  2oth  of  July,  1776,  Franklin  was  chosen 
by  the  Convention,  one  of  nine  delegates  to  repre 
sent  Pennsylvania  in  the  national  Congress.  One  of 
the  great  difficulties  to  be  surmounted,  in  a  union 
of  the  States,  was  to  give  the  great  States,  like  New 
York  and  Pennsylvania,  their  own  preponderance  in 
the  confederacy,  while  the  minor  states,  like  New 
Jersey  and  Delaware,  should  not  be  shorn  of  their 
influence.  The  difficulty  was  finally  obviated  by  the 
present  admirable  arrangement,  by  which  each  State, 
great  or  small,  has  two  representatives  in  the  Senate, 
while  their  representation  in  the  House  depends 
upon  the  number  of  the  population. 

Franklin  excelled  in  the  art  of  u  putting  things." 
He  silenced  the  demand  of  the  smaller  States,  to  be, 
in  all  respects,  on  an  equality  with  the  larger,  by 
saying, 

"  Let  the  smaller  colonies  give  equal  money  and 
men,  and  then  have  an  equal  vote.  But  if  they 
have  an  equal  vote,  without  bearing  equal  burdens, 
a  confederation,  upon  such  iniquitous  principles,  will 
never  last  long." 

The  convention,  to  form  a  constitution  for  the 
State  of  Pennsylvania,  met  at  Philadelphia  on  the 


PROGRESS   OF  THE  WAR.  305 

i6th  of  July,  1776.  Franklin  was  unanimously 
chosen  President.  No  pen  can  describe  the  inten 
sity  of  his  labors.  All  appreciated  his  consummate 
wisdom,  and  yielded  readily  to  his  suggestions. 
Troops  were  hurrying  to  and  fro.  One  hundred  and 
twenty  British  war  vessels  were  in  New  York  har 
bor.  No  one  knew  upon  what  seaport  the  thunder 
bolts  of  this  formidable  armament  would  be  hurled. 
The  Americans  had  been  defeated  on  Long  Island 
in  August,  1776,  and  had  almost  miraculously  es 
caped  with  their  field  pieces  and  stores,  across  the 
East  River  to  New  York.  This  brilliant  retreat 
was  deemed,  by  the  Americans,  almost  equivalent  to 
a  victory. 

Lord  Howe,  the  old  friend  of  Franklin  and  a  hu 
mane  and  respected  Englishman,  who  was  sincerely 
desirous  of  peace  with  the  Colonies,  was  appointed 
Admiral  of  the  king's  naval  forces.  He  accepted  the 
appointment,  with  the  hope  that,  by  the  aid  of  Frank 
lin,  reconciliation  might  be  effected.  Still  he  was  an 
Englishman  and  could  not  conceive  that  Americans 
had  any  rights  which  the  English  government  was 
bound  to  respect.  The  degree  of  his  infatuation 
may  be  inferred  from  the  fact  that,  as  soon  as  he 
reached  our  shores,  he  published  a  Declaration, 
which  he  circulated  far  and  wide,  stating  that  if  the 
Americans  would  only  give  up  the  conflict  and  re- 


306  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

turn  to  implicit  submission,  the  British  Government 
would  forgive  their  sins,  pardon  the  guilty  ones,  with 
a  few  exceptions,  and  receive  them  again  to  favor. 
The  weak  man  seemed  really  to  think,  that  this  was 
an  extraordinary  act  of  clemency  on  the  part  of  the 
English  Court. 

The  reply,  which  Franklin  drew  up,  to  the  Dec 
laration,  was  grand.  And  it  was  the  more  grand 
when  we  reflect  that  it  was  addressed  to  a  man  who 
was  supported  by  an  army,  of  we  know  not  how 
many  thousand  British  regulars,  and  by  a  fleet  of 
one  hundred  and  twenty  war  vessels,  many  of  which 
were  of  gigantic  armament.  Admiral  Howe  had 
written  a  courteous  private  letter  to  Dr.  Franklin,  in 
which  he  enclosed  the  Declaration.  Congress  gave 
Franklin  permission  to  reply.  He  wrote, 

"  My  lord ;  the  official  despatches  to  which  you 
refer  me,  contain  nothing  more  than  offers  of  par 
don  upon  submission.  Directing  pardon  to  be 
offered  to  the  colonies,  who  are  the  very  parties 
injured,  expresses  indeed  that  opinion  of  our  igno 
rance,  baseness,  and  insensibility  which  your  unin 
formed  and  proud  nation  has  long  been  pleased  to 
entertain  of  us.  It  is  impossible  that  we  should 
think  of  submission  to  a  government  that  has,  with 
the  most  wanton  barbarity  and  cruelty,  burnt  our 
defenseless  towns,  in  the  midst  of  winter,  excited 


PROGRESS   OF  THE  WAR.  307 

the  savages  to  massacre  our  farmers,  and  our  slaves 
to  murder  their  masters,  and  is,  even  now,  bringing 
foreign  mercenaries  to  deluge  our  settlements  with 
blood." 

I  have  not  space  to  copy  the  remainder  of  this 
admirable  letter.  It  was  delivered  to  Lord  Howe, 
on  board  his  flag  ship  in  New  York  harbor,  ten  days 
after  its  date.  As  he  read  it  his  countenance 
expressed  surprise,  and  almost  his  only  remark  was, 
"  My  old  friend  has  expressed  himself  very  warmly." 

A  few  weeks  later  this  good  natured  but  weak 
man  paroled  General  Sullivan,  who  was  a  prisoner 
of  war,  and  sent  him  to  Philadelphia,  with  a  mes 
sage  to  Congress  which  Lord  Howe  cautiously  de 
clined  to  put  upon  paper.  General  Sullivan  reduced 
the  message  to  writing  and  presented  it  to  Congress. 
It  was  in  substance  as  follows : 

"  The  government  of  England  cannot  admit 
that  Congress  is  a  legitimate  body,  to  be  recognized 
by  any  diplomatic  relations  whatever.  It  is  but  a 
tumultous  assembly  of  men  who  have  treasonably 
conspired  against  their  lawful  sovereign.  Still  the 
government  is  willing  that  Lord  Howe  should  con 
fer  with  some  of  the  members  of  congress,  as  private 
gentlemen,  to  see  if  some  terms  of  accommodation 
cannot  be  arranged." 

After  much  and  earnest  discussion,  in  which  a 


308  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

great  diversity  of  opinion  prevailed,  it  was  voted 
that  General  Sullivan  should  inform  Admiral  Howe, 
that  a  committee  of  three  would  be  sent  to  ascer 
tain  whether  he  "  has  any  authority  to  treat  with 
persons,  authorized  by  Congress  for  that  purpose." 

Benjamin  Franklin,  John  Ac\ams  and  Edward 
Rutledge  composed  this  committee.  An  antique 
house,  nearly  a  hundred  years  old,  formerly  the 
abode  of  wealth  and  splendor,  which  stood  in  a 
green  lawn,  but  a  few  rods  from  the  beach  on  the 
western  shore  of  Staten  Island,  was  chosen  as  the 
place  for  the  conference.  A  two  days' journey  con 
veyed  the  committee  to  Amboy,  opposite  the 
house.  Adams  traveled  on  horseback:  Franklin  and 
Rutledge  in  a  two  wheel  chaise. 

Admiral  Howe  sent  a  boat,  under  the  protection 
of  a  flag  of  truce,  with  an  officer,  who  stated  that  he 
was  to  be  left  behind  as  a  hostage  for  their  safe 
return.  Promptly  they  declined  manifesting  any 
such  distrust  of  the  honor  of  Admiral  Howe,  and 
took  the  hostage  back  in  the  boat  with  them. 
The  barge,  propelled  by  lusty  rowers,  soon  reached 
the  Staten  Island  shore.  A  large  apartment  of  the 
old  stone  house  had  been  richly  decorated  with  moss 
and  branches  in  honor  of  the  occasion. 

A  regiment  of  Hessians  was  posted  at  that  spot. 
The  colonel  drew  them  up  in  two  lines  and  through 


PROGRESS   OF  THE  WAR.  309 

this  lane  of  soldiers  the  commissioners  advanced 
from  the  beach  to  the  house.  When  Admiral  Howe 
saw  that  the  officer  he  had  sent  as  a  hostage  had 
been  returned,  he  said, 

"  Gentlemen,  you  pay  me  a  high  compliment." 
Cordially  the  kind-hearted  admiral  received  his 
guests,  and  invited  them  to  an  ample  collation  of 
cold  ham,  tongues,  mutton  and  wine.  Mr.  Henry 
Strachey,  secretary  of  Lord  Howe,  wrote  a  very  full 
report  of  the  interview,  which  accords  entirely  with 
the  narrative  which  John  Adams  presented  to  Con 
gress.  In  as  sincere  and  friendly  words  as  human 
lips  could  pronounce,  the  Admiral  assured  the 
American  gentlemen  of  his  earnest  desire  to  promote 
reconciliation  between  the  colonists  and  the  mother 
country.  He  alluded  to  the  fact  that  in  England  he 
had  been  regarded  as  the  friend  of  America,  and  to 
the  honor  Massachusetts  had  conferred  upon  his 
family  by  rearing  a  monument  to  his  brother,  who 
had  fallen  at  Ticonderoga.  Franklin  well  knew  that 
Howe  was  regarded  as  the  friend  of  America. 

"  I  assure  you,  gentlemen,"  said  Lord  Howe, 
"  that  I  esteem  that  honor  to  my  family,  above 
all  things  inthis  world.  Such  is  my  gratitude  and 
affection  to  this  country,  on  that  account,  that  I  feel 
for  America  as  for  a  brother.  And  if  America 
should  fall,  I  should  feel  and  lament  it  like  the  loss 


310  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

of  a  brother."  The  reply-  of  Franklin  to  these  sin 
cere  words,  seems  a  little  discourteous.  Assuming 
an  air  of  great  indifference  and  confidence,  as  though 
the  fall  of  America  was  an  idea  not  to  be  thought 
of,  he  bowed,  and  with  one  of  his  blandest  smiles 
said,  "  I  assure  you,  my  lord,  that  we  will  do  every 
thing  in  our  power  to  save  your  lordship  from  that 
mortification." 

The  admiral  was  feeling  too  deeply  for  jokes. 
He  was  wounded  by  the  rebuke  apparently  con 
tained  in  the  reply  of  his  old  friend.  But  it  must 
not  be  forgotten  that  Franklin,  the  sweetest  tem 
pered  of  men,  had  not  yet  recovered  from  the  indig 
nation  caused  by  the  barbarities  inflicted  by  the 
British  government  upon  the  families  of  Falmouth. 
Every  day  was  bringing  tidings  of  the  atrocities 
which  England,  through  its  savage  allies,  was  per 
petrating  on  the  frontiers,  burning  the  cabins  of 
lonely  farmers,  and  tomahawking  and  scalping  wo 
men  and  children.  And  he  was  constrained  to  look 
upon  Lord  Howe  as  the  agent  of  that  government, 
commissioned  to  bear  to  the  patriots  of  America 
only  the  insulting  messages,  that  the  king  and  his 
ministers  would  graciously  pardon  them  the  crime 
of  attempting  to  resist  their  despotism,  if  they  would 
ask  forgiveness,  and  in  future  submit  uncomplain 
ingly  to  the  requirements  of  the  crown. 


PROGRESS   OF  THE   WAR.  3  I  I 

Thus,  while  the  kind-hearted  admiral,  with  a 
bosom  glowing  with  brotherly  sympathy,  was  acting 
upon  the  assumption  that  the  Americans  should 
cherish  undying  emotions  of  gratitude  to  the  king, 
that  he  was  so  ready  to  forgive  their  disobedience  to 
his  commands,  Franklin  and  his  companions,  found 
it  difficult  to  restrain  their  emotions  of  indignation, 
in  view  of  the  truly  diabolical  course  pursued  by  the 
British  government.  The  court,  in  their  judgment, 
merited  the  execrations  not  only  of  Americans  but 
of  all  humanity. 

Lord  Howe  very  emphatically  wished  the  com 
missioners  to  understand  that  he  met  them  merely 
as  private  individuals,  and  that  he  could  not,  in  the 
slightest  degree,  recognize  any  authority  in  Congress. 
Franklin  coldly  replied, 

"  Your  lordship  may  consider  us  in  any  view  you 
may  think  proper.  We,  on  our  part,  are  at  liberty 
to  consider  ourselves  in  our  real  character." 

John  Adams  replied  with  warmth,  characteristic 
of  his  impetuous  nature,  "  Your  lordship  may  con 
sider  me  in  what  light  you  please.  Indeed  I  should 
be  willing  to  consider  myself,  for  a  few  moments,  in 
any  character  which  would  be  agreeable  to  your 
lordship,  except  that  of  a  British  subject." 

As  the  conversation  was  continued,  Franklin 
said,  "  We  have  been  deputed,  by  Congress,  sim- 


312  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

ply  to  inquire  of  your  lordship  what  proposition 
you  have  to  offer  for  the  consideration  of  Congress. 
British  troops  have  ravaged  our  country  and  burnt 
our  towns.  We  cannot  again  be  happy  under  the 
government  of  Great  Britain.  .  All  former  attach 
ments  are  obliterated.  America  can  never  return 
to  the  domination  of  Great  Britain." 

Mr.  Adams  added,  "  My  lord,  it  is  not  in  our 
power  to  treat  otherwise  than  as  independent  states. 
For  my  part,  I  avow  my  determination  never  to 
depart  from  the  idea  of  independency." 

Mr  Rutledge  gave  emphasis  to  these  decisive 
words  by  saying,  "  With  regard  to  the  people  con 
senting  to  come  again  under  the  English  govern 
ment,  it  is  impossible.  I  can  answer  for  South 
Carolina.  The  royal  government  there  was  very 
oppressive.  At  last  we  took  the  government  into 
our  own  hands.  The  people  are  now  settled,  and 
happy,  under  that  government.  They  would  not 
now  return  to  the  king's  government  even  if  Con 
gress  should  desire  it." 

Here  the  conference  ended,  by  Lord  Howe's 
stating,  that,  as  they  insisted  upon  independence, 
no  accommodation  was  possible.  Lord  Howe 
courteously  accompanied  the  American  gentlemen 
to  the  barge,  and  they  were  rowed  over  to  the  New 
Jersey  shore.  In  the  report  they  made  to  Congress 


PROGRESS   OF   THE   WAR.  313 

they  stated,  that  the  commission  of  Lord  Howe 
only  conferred  upon  him  authority  to  grant  pardon 
to  the  Americans,  with  a  few  exceptions,  upon  their 
entire  submission  to  the  king. 

It  required,  in  those  days,  a  long  time  to  cross 
the  Atlantic.  Seldom  could  an  answer  be  obtained 
to  a  letter  in  less  than  four  or  five  months.  To  the 
usual  delays  and  perils  attached  to  the  navigation 
of  that  stormy  sea,  there  was  now  to  be  added  the 
danger  of  capture  from  the  swarm  of  British  cruis 
ers.  Congress  had  several  agents  on  the  continent. 
But  months  passed  away,  during  which  no  letters 
were  received  from  them.  This  painful  suspense 
was  relieved,  in  September,  1776,  by  a  long  letter 
to  Dr.  Franklin,  from  a  French  gentleman,  Dr.  Du- 
bourg.  He  was  one  of  the  prominent  philosophers 
of  Paris,  and,  by  the  request  of  Count  du  Buffon, 
had  translated  into  French,  Franklin's  treatise  upon 
electricity. 

This  letter  was  very  cautiously  written.  It  cov 
ered  many  sheets  of  paper.  The  all  important 
substance  of  the  letter  was  almost  concealed  from 
view  by  the  mass  of  verbiage  in  which  it  was  envel 
oped.  But  a  careful  reading  indicated  that  the 
French  ministry  and  the  nation  were  in  sympathy 
with  the  Americans ;  that  while  the  ministry  wished 
to  avoid  war  with  England  they  would  gladly, 
14 


3 14  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

if  it  could  be  done  secretly,  send  the  Americans 
money  and  powder,  cannon  and  muskets,  and  that 
many  French  generals  of  note  were  eager  to  join 
the  American  army,  and  confer  upon  it  the  benefit 
of  their  experience. 

This  news  sent  a  thrill  of  joy  through  hearts 
which  recent  reverses  had  rendered  somewhat  de 
sponding.  It  was  decided  immediately  to  send  an 
embassy  of  highest  character  to  France.  Three 
were  to  be  chosen  by  ballot.  On  the  first  ballot 
Dr.  Franklin  was  unanimously  elected.  He  was 
seventy  years  old.  And  yet  probably  there  was  not 
another  man  in  America  so  well  qualified  to  fill  that 
difficult,  delicate  and  responsible  post.  Franklin, 
in  the  saloons  of  diplomacy,  was  fully  the  peer  of 
Washington  on  the  field  of  war.  When  the  result 
of  the  ballot  was  announced  Franklin  turned  to  Dr. 
Rush,  who  was  at  his  side,  and  said, 

"  I  am  old  and  good  for  nothing.  But  as  the  store 
keepers  say  of  their  remnants  of  cloth,  '  I  am  but  a 
fag  end,  and  you  may  have  me  for  what  you  please.' ' 

Thomas  Jefferson,  then  thirty-three  years  of  age, 
and  as  pure  a  patriot  as  ever  lived,  was  next  chosen. 
He  was  already  renowned  in  France  as  the  writer 
of  the  Declaration  of  Independence.  Silas  Deane, 
a  native  of  Connecticut,  and  a  graduate  of  Yale,  then 
one  of  the  agents  in  Europe,  was  the  third. 


PROGRESS   OF  THE   WAR.  315 

It  required  no  little  courage  to  cross  the  ocean, 
swept  by  the  fleets  of  Great  Britain.  Had  Franklin 
or  Jefferson  fallen  into  the  hands  of  the  British 
government,  it  is  certain  that  they  would  have  suf 
fered  severe  imprisonment ;  it  is  by  no  means 
improbable  that  they  would  have  been  promptly 
hung  as  traitors.  It  was  a  noble  sacrifice  for  coun 
try  which  led  Franklin,  having  numbered  his  three 
score  years  and  ten,  to  incur  these  perils.* 

Jefferson  was  compelled  to  decline  the  mission, 
as  his  wife,  whom  he  loved  with  devotion  rarely 
equalled,  and  perhaps  never  surpassed,  was  sick  and 
dying.  Arthur  Lee,  then  in  Europe,  was  elected  in 
his  .stead.  He  was  a  querulous,  ill-natured  man, 
ever  in  a  broil.  A  more  unsuitable  man  for  the 
office  could  scarcely  have  been  found. 

There  were  two  parties  in  France  who  favored 
the  Americans.  One  consisted  of  enthusiastic  young 
men,  who  were  enamored  with  the  idea  of  republican 
liberty.  They  were  weary  of  Bourbon  despotism. 
The  character  of  Louis  XV.,- as  vile  a  king  as  ever 
sat  upon  a  throne,  was  loathsome  to  them.  They 
had  read  Jefferson's  "  Declaration,"  with  delight  ; 

*  In  the  year  1780,  Mr.  Henry  Laurens,  formerly  President  of 
Congress,  was  sent  as  ambassador  to  Holland.  The  ship  was  cap 
tured  off  Newfoundland,  after  a  chase  of  five  hours.  The  unfortunate 
man  was  thrown  into  the  Tower,  where  he  was  imprisoned  fifteen 
months,  "  where  "  he  wrote  to  Mr.  Burke,  "  I  suffered  under  a  degree  of 
rigor,  almost  if  not  altogether  unexampled  in  modern  British  history." 


316  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

and  had  engraven  its  immortal  principles  upon  their 
hearts.  The  Marquis  de  Lafayette  was  perhaps  the 
most  prominent  member  of  this  party. 

France  hated  England.  That  haughty  govern 
ment  had  long  been  the  most  unpopular  on  the 
globe.  England  had  made  great  conquests  from 
France,  and  was  rich,  intelligent  and  powerful  beyond 
any  other  nation.  Prosperity  had  given  her  arro 
gance,  and  she  had  placed  her  heel  upon  her  humili 
ated  neighbors.  There  was  not  a  court  in  Europe 
which  would  not  have  rejoiced  to  see  England  hum 
bled.  The  despotic  court  of  France,  and  the  most 
haughty  nobles,  were  ready  to  encounter  any  perils 
which  held  out  a  reasonable  hope  that  England 
might  be  weakened.  Thus  the  sympathies  of  all 
France  were  united  in  favor  of  America. 

And  now  the  hour  had  come.  By  aiding  the 
Americans,  who  had  boldly  declared  their  indepen 
dence,  they  might  not  only  deprive  England  of  those 
colonies  whose  trade  was  already  invaluable  to  Eng 
land,  and  which  were  rapidly  increasing  in  popula 
tion,  wealth  and  power,  but  also  they  might  awaken 
such  gratitude  in  the  bosoms  of  Americans,  that 
the  trade  of  the  new  nation  would  be  mainly  trans 
ferred  to  France. 

Thus  the  court  and  the  nobles,  intent  upon  this 
object,  did  not  hesitate  to  aid  in  the  establishment 


PROGRESS   OF  THE   WAR.  317 

of  those  principles  of  liberty,  fraternity  and  equality 
in  America,  which  eventually  whelmed  in  ruin  the 
palaces  and  the  castles  of  France. 

It  was  deemed  important  to  conceal,  as  long  as 
possible,  from  the  British  government  the  sympathy 
and  aid  which  France  was  about  to  manifest  for  the 
Americans.  Arthur  Lee  reported  that  an  agent  of 
the  French  government  had  promised  to  send  from 
Holland,  two  thousand  pounds,  worth  of  military 
stores.  They  were  to  be  forwarded  to  one  of  the 
French  West  India  islands,  ostensibly  for  the  service 
of  those  islands.  The  governor  was,  however,  in 
structed  to  surrender  them  to  a  secret  agent  of  the 
American  Congress.  The  plan  failed.  I  have  not 
space  to  record  all  the  various  stratagems  which 
were  devised  to  aid  the  Americans,  while  the  move 
ment  was  carefully  concealed  from  the  vigilant  eyes 
of  the  English. 

Franklin,  with  nobility  of  soul  which  should  com 
mand  the  love  of  every  American,  as  one  of  his  last 
deeds  before  he  left  his  country  perhaps  never  to  re 
turn,  collected  all  the  money  he  could  command, 
about  twelve  thousand  dollars,  and  loaned  it  to  the 
government,  whose  treasury  was  utterly  impover 
ished.  In  those  dark  days,  even  that  small  sum  was 
of  essential  aid.  In  one  of  the  last  of  Franklin's 
letters,  before  he  sailed,  he  wrote, 


3l8  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

"  As  to  our  public  affairs,  I  hope  our  people  will 
keep  up  their  courage.  I  have  no  doubt  of  their 
finally  succeeding  by  the  blessing  of  God  ;  nor  have 
I  any  doubt  that  so  good  a  cause  will  fail  of  that 
blessing.  It  is  computed  that  we  have  already  taken 
a  million  sterling  from  the  enemy.  They  must  soon 
be  sick  of  their  piratical  project." 

Franklin  embarked  in  the  Reprisal,  a  rapid  sail 
ing  sloop  of  war  of  sixteen  guns.  He  took  with  him 
his  grandson,  William  Temple  Franklin,  son  of  the 
Tory  governor,  then  a  very  handsome  boy  of  eigh 
teen,  and  Benjamin  Franklin  Bache,  eldest  son  of 
his  daughter,  a  lad  of  seven  years.  William  Temple 
Franklin  adhered  firmly  to  the  political  views  of  his 
grandfather.  Dr.  Franklin  intended  to  place  Benja 
min  in  a  school  in  Paris. 

Tory  spies  were  watching  every  movement  of 
Congress.  This  mission  to  Holland  was  kept  a  pro 
found  secret.  Had  the  British  government  known 
that  Benjamin  Franklin  was  about  to  cross  the 
ocean,  almost  every  ship  in  the  British  navy  would 
have  been  sent  in  chase  of  him.  On  the  26th  of 
October,  1776,  he  left  Philadelphia,  every  precaution 
having  been  adopted  to  keep  his  departure  a  secret. 
The  vessel  was  at  anchor  at  Marcus  Hook,  in  the 
Delaware,  three  miles  beyond  Chester. 

Fierce  gales  drove  them  rapidly  across  the  Atlan- 


PROGRESS   OF  THE   WAR.  319 

tic.  Captain  Wickes  had  received  instructions  to 
avoid  fighting,  if  possible.  He  was  to  devote  all 
his  energies  to  transporting  his  precious  passenger 
as  rapidly  as  possible,  from  shore  to  shore.  They 
were  often  chased  by  cruisers.  The  vessel  was  small, 
and  Franklin,  in  his  old  age.  was  sadly  cramped  by 
his  narrow  accommodations.  He  says  that  of  all  his 
eight  voyages  this  was  the  most  distressing.  When 
near  the  coast  of  France  they  captured  an  English 
brig,  with  a  cargo  of  lumber  and  wine.  On  the 
afternoon  of  the  same  day,  they  took  another  brig, 
loaded  with  brandy  and  flax  seed.  England  was  al 
most  delirious  with  rage,  in  finding  that  the  Amer 
icans  were  bearing  away  their  prizes  from  the 
channel  itself,  thus  bidding  proud  defiance  to  those 
frigates  and  fortresses  of  Great  Britain  which  had 
overawed  the  world. 

On  the  29th  of  November  the  Reprisal  cast 
anchor  in  Quiberon  Bay.  Franklin  there  obtained  a 
post  chaise  to  convey  him  to  Nantes.  He  writes, 

"  The  carriage  was  a  miserable  one,  with  tired 
horses,  the  evening  dark,  scarce  a  traveller  but  our 
selves  on  the  road.  And  to  make  it  more  comfort 
able,  the  driver  stopped  near  a  wood  we  were  to 
pass  through,  to  tell  us  that  a  gang  of  eighteen 
robbers  infested  that  wood,  who,  but  two  weeks  ago, 


32O  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

had  robbed  and  murdered  some  travellers  on  that 
very  spot." 

Though  absolutely  no  one  in  Europe  knew  that 
Franklin  was  expected,  his  fame  had  preceded  him. 
The  scientists  of  France  were  eager  to  render  him 
their  homage.  French  statesmen  had  learned,  at 
the  Court  of  St.  James,  to  respect  his  grandeur  of 
character,  and  his  diplomatic  abilities.  He  was  a 
very  handsome  man,  with  a  genial  smile,  which  won 
love  at  sight.  The  invariable  remark  of  every  one, 
who  chanced  to  meet  him  for  five  minutes  was, 
"  What  a  delightful  man."  Franklin  had  none  of 
the  brusqueness  which  characterizes  John  Bull.  He 
was  always  a  gentleman,  scrupulously  attentive  to 
his  rich,  elegant,  yet  simple  dress.  He  manifested 
his  knowledge  of  human  nature,  in  carefully  preserv 
ing  his  national  garb, — the  old  continental  costume. 

Thus  wherever  he  appeared  he  attracted  atten 
tion.  No  man  was  ever  more  courteous.  The 
French  Court,  at  that  time,  was  bound  by  the 
shackles  of  etiquette,  to  an  almost  inconceivable 
degree.  But  Franklin  was  never  embarrassed.  He 
needed  no  one  to  teach  him  etiquette.  Instinct 
taught  him  what  to  do,  so  that,  in  the  bearing  of  a 
well  bred  gentleman,  he  was  a  model  man,  even  in  the 
court  where  Louis  XIV.  and  Louis  XV.  had  reigned 
with  omnipotent  sway.  The  most  beautiful  duchess, 


PROGRESS   OF  THE   WAR.  321 

radiant  in  her  courtly  costume,  and  glittering  with 
jewels,  felt  proud  of  being  seated  on  the  sofa  by  the 
side  of  this  true  gentleman,  whose  dress,  simple  as  it 
was,  was  in  harmony  with  her  own.  The  popular  im 
pression  is  entirely  an  erroneous  one,  that  there  was 
anything  rustic,  anything  which  reminded  one  of  the 
work  shop  or  the  blouse,  in  the  demeanor  of  Benjamin 
Franklin,  as  he  moved,  unembarrassed,  in  the  highest 
circles  of  fashion  then  known  in  the  world. 

Franklin  was  received  to  the  hospitalities  of  a 
French  gentleman  of,  wealth  and  distinction,  by  the 
name  of  Gruel.  His  elegant  apartments  were  al 
ways  crowded  with  visitors,  eager  to  manifest  their 
respect  for  the  trans-Atlantic  philosopher.  Horace 
Walpole,  a  warm  friend  of  the  Americans,  wrote, 

"  An  account  came  that  Dr.  Franklin,  at  the  age 
of  72,  or  74,  and,  at  the  risk  of  his  head,  had  bravely 
embarked,  on  board  an  American  frigate,  and,  with 
two  prizes  taken  on  the  way,  had  landed,  at  Nantes, 
in  France,  and  was  to  be  at  Paris  on  the  I4th,  where 
the  highest  admiration  and  expectation  of  him  were 
raised." 

Upon  his  arrival  Mr.  Deane  exultingly  wrote, 
"  Here  is  the  hero  and  philosopher,  and  patriot, 
all  united  in  this  celebrated  American,  who,  at  the 
age  of  seventy  four,  risks  all  dangers  for  his  country." 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

The  Struggles  of  Diplomacy. 

Anecdote  of  Gibbon — John  Adams —  Residence  af  Passy —Lafayette 
introduced — Cruise  of  the  Reprisal — Paul  Jones — Capture  of 
Burgoyne — Alliance  with  France — Anecdote  of  the  Cake — Ex 
citement  in  England — Franklin's  introduction  to  the  king — Joy 
in  America — Extraordinary  letter  of  Count  Wissenstein — The 
reply — Injustice  to  Paul  Jones — French  troops  in  America — 
Character  of  John  Adams — Franklin's  mature  views  of  human 
nature — Anecdote  of  the  Angel — Capture  of  Cornwallis — Its 
effect  in  England — Prejudices  of  Mr.  Jay — Testimony  of  Dr. 
Sparks — Jealousy  of  Franklin — Shrewd  diplomatic  act — The 
treaty  signed. 

IN  the  journey  from  Nantes  to  Pans,  a  curious 
incident  occurred,  which  is  well  worth  recording. 
It  so  admirably  illustrates  the  character  of  two  dis 
tinguished  men,  as  to  bear  internal  evidence  of  its 
truthfulness.  At  one  of  the  inns,  at  which  Franklin 
stopped,  he  was  informed  that  Mr.  Gibbon,  the 
illustrious  author'  of  the  "  Decline  and  Fall  of  the 
Roman  Empire,"  was  also  tarrying. 

Mr.  Gibbon  was  an  Englishman.  He  was  a  deist, 
being  in  entire  sympathy  with  Franklin  in  his  views 
of  Christianity.  He  was  also  a  man  of  letters.  Mr. 


THE   STRUGGLES   OF  DIPLOMACY.  323 

Franklin  addressed  a  very  polite  note  to  Mr.  Gib 
bon,  sending  his  compliments,  and  soliciting  the 
pleasure  of  spending  the  evening  with  him.  Mr. 
Gibbon,  who  was  never  renowned  for  amiability  of 
character,  replied,  in  substance,  we  have  not  his 
exact  words, 

"  Notwithstanding  my  regard  for  Dr.  Franklin, 
as  a  man  and  a  philosopher,  I  cannot  reconcile  it 
with  my  duty  to  my  king,  to  have  any  conversation 
with  a  revolted  subject." 

Franklin  responded  to  this  by  writing,  "  Though 
Mr.  Gibbon's  principles  have  compelled  him  to 
withhold  the  pleasure  of  his  conversation,  Dr. 
Franklin  has  still  such  a  respect  for  the  character  of 
Mr.  Gibbon,  as  a  gentleman  and  a  historian,  that 
when,  in  the  course  of  his  writing  the  history  of 
the  "  Decline  and  Fall  of  Empires,"  the  decline 
and  fall  of  the  British  Empire  shall  come  to  be  his 
subject,  as  will  probably  soon  be  the  case,  Dr.  Frank 
lin  would  be  happy  to  furnish  him  with  ample  ma 
terials,  which  are  in  his  possession."  * 

*  This  anecdote  has  had  a  wide  circulation  in  the  newspapers. 
Mr.  William  Cobbett  inserts  it  in  his  "  Works,"  with  the  following 
comment,  characteristic  of  the  spirit  of  most  of  the  higher  class  of 
Englishmen,  in  those  days  : 

"  Whether  this  anecdote  record  a  truth  or  not  I  shall  not  pretend 
to  say.  But  it  must  be  confessed,  that  the  expressions  imputed  to  the 
two  personages  were  strictly  in  character.  In  Gibbon,  we  see  the 
faithful  subject,  and  the  man  of  candor  and  honor.  In  Franklin 


324  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

Gibbon  was  a  tory.  He  supported  Lord  North 
in  all  his  measures.  The  government  rewarded  him 
with  a  pension  of  eight  hundred  po'unds  a  year. 
This  was  equivalent  to  considerable  more  than  four 
thousand  dollars  at  the  present  time.  Franklin 
was  received,  in  Paris,  by  the  whole  population, 
court  and  canaille,  with  enthusiasm  which  that  ex 
citable  capital  had  rarely  witnessed.  The  most 
humble  of  the  population  were  familiar  with  the 
pithy  sayings  of  Poor  Richard.  The  savants  admit 
ted  their  obligations  to  him,  for  the  solution  of  some 
of  the  most  difficult  problems  of  philosophy.  The 
fashionable  world  were  delighted  with  his  urbanity ; 
and  in  his  society  found  rare  and  unequalled  pleas 
ure.  The  republicans  regarded  him  as  the  per 
sonification  of  a  free  government ;  and  even  the 
nobles  and  the  ministry  were  cheered  by  the  hope 
that,  with  his  aid,  haughty  England  could  be  weak 
ened  and  humbled,  and  that  thus  a  new  era  of 
commercial  prosperity  was  about  to  dawn  upon 
France. 

John  Adams  was  not  popular  in  Paris.  He  was 
a  man  of  great  abilities,  of  irreproachable  character, 
and  was  animated  by  as  pure  principles  of  patriot 
ism  as  ever  glowed  in  a  human  bosom.  But  he  was 

the   treacherous   and  malicious  old    Zanga,  of   Boston. —  Works  of 
William  Cobbett.   Vol.  mi,  p.  244. 


THE  STRUGGLES   OF  DIPLOMACY.  325 

a  genuine  Puritan,  inheriting  the  virtues  and  the 
foibles  of  the  best  of  that  class.  Though  not  want 
ing  in  magnanimity,  he  could  not  fail  from  being 
disturbed,  by  the  caresses  with  which  Franklin  was 
ever  greeted,  contrasted  with  the  cold  and  respect 
ful  courtesy  with  which  he  was  received.  It  was  al 
ways  the  same,  in  the  Court,  in  the  saloons,  and  on 
the  Boulevards.  In  Mr.  Adams'  diary,  written  some 
years  later,  we  find  the  following  insertion,  which,  in 
some  degree,  reveals  his  feelings.  He  is  recording 
a  conversation  with  the  French  minister. 

"  All  religions,"  said  Marbois,  "  are  tolerated  in 
America.  The  ambassadors  have  a  right,  in  all 
the  courts  of  Europe,  to  a  chapel  in  their  own  way. 
But  Mr.  Franklin  never  had  any." 

"  No,"  said  I  laughing,  "  because  Mr.  Franklin 
has  no— 

I  was  going  to  say  what  I  did  not  say,  and  will 
not  say  here.  I  stopped  short,  and  laughed. 

"  No,"  said  M.  Marbois.  "  Mr.  Franklin  adores 
only  great  Nature ;  which  has  interested  a  great 
many  people  of  both  sexes  in  his  favor." 

"  Yes,"  said  I  laughing,  "  all  the  atheists,  deists 
and  libertines,  as  well  as  the  philosophers  and  ladies 
are  in  his  train."  * 

The   English  lords  were  exasperated  by  the  re- 

*  Works  of  John  Adams,  Vol.  Ill,  p.  220. 


326  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

ception  France  had  given  Franklin.  They  fully 
comprehended  its  significance.  France  was  in  sym 
pathy  with  the  Americans,  in  their  heroic  endeavor 
to  escape  from  the  despotism  of  the  British  crown. 
Thus  the  traffic  which  had  enriched  England,  would 
be  transferred  to  France. 

Even  the  Earl  of  Chatham  said,  in  one  of  the 
most  eloquent  of  his  speeches, 

"  France,  my  lords,  has  insulted  you.  She  has 
encouraged  and  sustained  America.  And  whether 
America  be  wrong  or  right,  the  dignity  of  this  coun 
try  ought  to  spurn  at  the  officiousness  of  the  French 
interference.  The  ministers  and  ambassadors  of 
those  who  are  called  rebels,  are  in  Paris.  In  Paris 
they  transact  the  reciprocal  business  of  America  and 
France.  Can  there  be  a  more  mortifying  insult? 
Can  even  our  ministers  sustain  a  more  humiliating 
disgrace?  Do  they  dare  to  resent  it  ?  " 

Franklin  was  assailed  in  England,  in  innumerable 
pamphlets  of  abuse.  The  sin  of  his  youth  still  pur 
sued  him.  Many  an  envenomed  arrow  pierced  his 
heart.  * 

*  This  is  a  delicate  subject,  but  it  must  not  be  ignored.  Mr. 
Parton  writes, — "  One  penny-a-liner  informed  the  public  that  Dr. 
Franklin  had  a  son,  who,  though  Illegitimate,  was  a  much  more  hon 
est  man  than  his  father.  As  to  the  mother  of  that  son,  nothing  was 
known  of  her,  except  that  her  seducer  let  her  die  in  the  streets." 

There  was  no  end  to  those  attacks.  They  -were  attended  by  every 
exaggeration  of  malignity  which  hatred  could  engender.  It  is  certain 


THE   STRUGGLES   OF  DIPLOMACY.  327 

But  it  must  not  be  forgotten  that  there  were 
many  of  the  noblest  men  in  England,  who  were  the 
warm  friends  of  Franklin,  and  who  cordially  espoused 
the  American  cause.  Among  these  were  Fox,  Burke, 
Rockingham,  Shelburne,  Chatham,  Priestley  and 
Price. 

Many  beautiful  villages  surrounded  Paris.  One 
of  the  most  lovely,  embowered  in  foliage,  was  Passy. 
It  is  now  included  within  the  city  walls.  It  was 
then  but  two  miles  from  the  centre  of  the  city.  A 
munificent  friend  of  America,  M.  de  Chaumont,  in 
vited  Franklin  to  the  hospitality  of  one  of  his  sump 
tuous  mansions  in  that  place.  Franklin  accepted 
the  invitation,  assuring  him  that,  at  the  close  of  the 
war,  Congress  would  insist  upon  granting  him  a  tract 
of  land,  in  recognition  of  his  kindness  to  America  in 
the  hour  of  need. 

Early  in  the  year  1777,  Franklin  took  up  his  res 
idence  at  Passy,  and  there  he  continued  to  reside 
while  he  remained  in  France.  He  lived  liberally, 
had  an  ample  retinue  of  servants,  and  entertained 
his  guests  with  elegance.  His  annual  expenditures 
were  about  thirteen  thousand  dollars.  This  sum 
would  then  purchase  twice  the  amount  of  convenien 
ces  and  luxuries  which  could  be  purchased  by  the 

that  Franklin  would  have  been  saved  from  these  woes  could  he,  as  a 
young  man,  have  embraced  the  faith  of  the  religion  of  Jesus,  and  de 
veloped  that  faith  in  his  practice" 


328  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

same  sum  at  the  present  day.  He  had  his  own  ser 
vants,  and  commanded  a  handsome  carriage  with  two 
horses. 

Mrs.  Adams  writes,  "  With  seven  servants,  and 
hiring  a  charwoman  upon  occasion  of  company,  we 
may  possibly  keep  house.  With  less  we  should  be 
hooted  at  as  ridiculous,  and  could  not  entertain  any 
company." 

Though  Franklin  took  every  thing  by  the  smooth 
handle,  he  did  not,  on  that  account,  intermit  any  in 
tensity  of  labor  to  accomplish  his  purposes.  There 
were  then  three  American  envoys  in  Paris,  Franklin, 
Deane,  and  Lee.  Five  days  after  the  arrival  of 
Franklin,  they,  on  the  28th  of  December,  1777,  held 
their  first  interview  with  the  French  Minister,  Count 
de  Vergennes.  They  were  received  with  all  that 
cordiality  and  courtesy  which  are  marked  character 
istics  of  the  French  people.  But  still  the  commis 
sioners  were  embarrassed.  The  prospects  of  Amer 
ica  were  doubtful.  General  Burgoyne  was  on  the 
eve  of  sailing  for  America  with  a  formidable  fleet, 
and  an  army  of  eight  or  ten  thousand  highly  disci 
plined  troops.  In  the  course  of  the  conversation,  the 
minister  said  that  France  was  not  yet  ready  to  enter 
into  open  collision  with  England,  and  to  declare  war. 

"  But,"  said  he,  "  if  a  couple  of  millions  of  francs, 
to  be  repaid  without  interest  after  the  war,  will  be  of 


THE   STRUGGLES   OF  DIPLOMACY.  329 

use  to  you,  they  are  at  your  service.  Only  do  not 
say  that  you  had  it  from  us" 

This  was  indeed,  under  the  doubtful  circumstan 
ces,  a  very  generous  offer.  It  was  at  this  dark  hour 
that  the  noble  Lafayette  decided  to  consecrate  his 
fortune,  and  to  peril  his  life,  for  the  cause  of  American 
freedom.  It  was  proclaimed  that  Burgoyne's  expe 
dition  was  fitted  out  to,  rouse  the  slaves  to  insurrec 
tion,  and  to  lay  the  mansions  of  the  planters  in  ashes. 
Arthur  Lee  was  very  much  alarmed.  These  splen 
did  estates  were  generally  situated  in  romantic  spots, 
upon  the  banks  of  the  navigable  rivers,  where  the 
dwellings,  often  quite  magnificent,  could  easily  be 
demolished  by  shot  and  shell  thrown  from  any 
frigate. 

The  Reprisal,  Captain  Wickes,  was  the  first 
American  vessel  of  war  which  ventured  into  Euro 
pean  waters.  The  channel  swarmed  with  British 
vessels.  The  Reprisal  took  prize  after  prize,  and 
conveyed  them  into  Nantes.  As  France  was  not 
at  war  with  England,  Count  de  Vergennes  was  com 
pelled  to  order  the  Reprisal,  with  her  prizes,  to  leave 
the  harbor.  Captain  Wickes  took  some  of  the 
Nantes  merchants  on  board  his  vessel,  and,  just  out 
side  the  port,  sold  the  prizes  to  them.  The  French 
merchants  then  returned,  with  their  property,  into 
the  harbor. 


33O  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

Captain  Wickes  soon  united  with  him  the  Lex 
ington  of  fourteen  guns,  and  a  cutter,  the  Dolphin, 
of  ten  guns.  With  this  little  fleet  the  hero  sailed 
completely  around  Ireland,  capturing  or  destroying 
sixteen  prizes.  The  British  were  astounded  at  this 
audacity.  Merchants  and  under-writers  were  quite 
terror-stricken.  They  had  never  dreamed  that  the 
despised  Americans  could  strike  them  any  blows. 
And  when,  soon  after,  Paul  Jones,  one  of  the  noblest 
of  all  naval  heroes,  appeared  in  their  waters,  it  is  not 
too  much  to  say  that  consternation  pervaded  the 
coasts  of  both  England  and  Ireland.* 

It  requires  many  and  aggravated  wrongs  to 
rouse  a  naturally  amiable  man  to  the  highest  pitch 
of  indignation.  But  when  thus  roused,  he  is  ready 
for  any  vigor  of  action.  Franklin's  blood  was  up. 
England  was  bribing  slaves  to  murder  their  masters  ; 
was  rousing  the  savages  to  massacre  the  families  of 
poor,  hard-working  frontiersmen  ;  was  wantonly 
bombarding  defenceless  sea-ports,  and  with  inhu 
manity,  rarely  known  in  civilized  warfare,  was  laying 
villages  in  ashes,  consigning  women  and  children  to 
beggary  and  starvation.  In  the  prison  hulks  of  New 
York,  our  most  illustrious  men  were  in  the  endu 
rance,  as  prisoners  of  war,  of  woes  unsurpassed  by 

*  The  wonderful  achievements  of  this  patriot  are  fully  recorded 
in  one  of  the  volumes  of  this  series. 


THE  STRUGGLES  OF  DIPLOMACY.  331 

Algerine  barbarism.  Many  of  our  common  sailors, 
England  was  compelling,  by  the  terrors  of  the  lash, 
to  man  her  ships,  and  to  fight  their  own  country 
men.  Maddened  by  these  atrocities,  Mr.  Franklin 
wrote  to  his  English  friend,  David  Hartley,  a  mem 
ber  of  Parliament,  a  letter,  which  all  the  few  friends 
of  America  in  England,  read  with  great  satisfaction, 
and  which  must  have  produced  a  very  powerful 
moral  impression  in  France.  It  is  too  long  to  be 
inserted  here.  In  conclusion  he  said  to  his  friend, 

"  In  reviewing  what  I  have  written,  I  found  too 
much   warmth    in  it,  and  was  about  to  strike  out4 
some  parts.     Yet  I  let  them  go,  as  it  will  afford  you 
this  one  reflection, 

" '  If  a  man  naturally  cool,  and  rendered  still 
cooler  by  old  age,  is  so  warmed  by  our  treatment  of 
his  country,  how  much  must  those  people  in  general 
be  exasperated  against  us.  And  why  are  we  mak 
ing  inveterate  enemies,  by  our  barbarity,  not  only 
of  the  present  inhabitants  of  a  great  country,  but  of 
their  infinitely  more  numerous  posterity ;  who  will, 
in  future  ages,  detest  the  name  of  Englishman,  as 
much  as  the  children  in  Holland  now  do  those  of 
Alva  and  Spaniard.' " 

William  Temple  Franklin  inherited  the  attrac 
tions  of  person,  and  the  fascination  of  manners,  so 
conspicuous  in  his  grandfather.  He  was  a  great 


332  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

favorite  in  the  social  circles  of  the  gay  metropolis. 
Dark  days  came,  with  tidings  of  discomfiture. 
Franklin  devoted  twelve  hours  out  of  the  twenty- 
four,  to  the  arduous  duties  of  his  mission.  Phil 
adelphia  fell. 

"  Well,  Doctor,"  said  an  Englishman  in  Paris, 
with  the  customary  courtesy  of  his  nation,  "  Howe 
has  taken  Philadelphia." 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,"  Franklin  replied,  "  Phila 
delphia  has  taken  Howe." 

The  result  proved  that  Franklin's  joke  was 
almost  a  reality. 

Burgoyne  surrendered.  His  whole  army  was 
taken  captive.  Massachusetts  immediately  sent  John 
Loring  Austin  to  convey  the  rapturous  tidings  to 
Franklin.  This  great  success  would  doubtless  en 
courage  France  to  open  action.  No  tongue  can  tell 
the  emotions  excited  in  the  bosoms  of  Franklin, 
Lee  and  Deane,  as  Austin  entered  their  presence  at 
Passy,  with  the  announcement,  "  General  Burgoyne 
and  his  whole  army  are  prisoners  of  war" 

There  were  no  shoutings,  no  rushing  into  each 
other's  arms.  But  tears  filled  their  eyes.  They  felt 
assured  that  France  would  come  openly  to  their 
aid,  and  that  the  independence  of  their  country  was 
no  longer  doubtful.  Silently  they  returned  to 
Franklin's  spacious  apartment,  where  they  spent  the 


THE   STRUGGLES   OF  DIPLOMACY.  333 

whole  day  in  reading  the  enrapturing  dispatches, 
and  in  preparing  for  immediate  alliance  with  France. 
France  made  no  attempt  to  conceal  its  joy.  A 
treaty  of  alliance  was  soon  formed.  Nobly  the 
Count  de  Vergennes  said, 

"  We  wish  to  take  no  advantage  of  your  situa 
tion.  We  desire  no  terms  which  you  may  hereafter 
regret  having  made ;  but  would  enter  into  arrange 
ments  of  mutual  interest,  which  may  last  as  long  as 
human  institutions  endure." 

England  was  now  greatly  alarmed  from  fear  that 
the  trade  of  the  colonies  might  be  transferred  to 
France.  Envoys  were  sent  to  Passy  to  offer  the 
American  ambassadors  everything  they  had  de 
manded  at  the  commencement  of  the  conflict. 
But  it  was  too  late.  America  now  demanded  Inde 
pendence,  and  would  accept  nothing  less. 

A  large  cake  was  one  day  sent  to  the  ambassa 
dor's  apartment,  at  Passy,  with  the  inscription  "  Le 
Digne  Franklin,"  the  worthy  Franklin.  Mr.  Lee 
said,  "  Well,  Doctor,  we  have  to  thank  you  for  our 
accommodations,  and  to  appropriate  your  present  to 
our  use." 

"  Not  at  all,"  said  Franklin.  "  This  cake  is  for  all 
the  Commissioners.  The  French,  not  being  able  to 
write  good  English,  do  not  spell  our  names  correctly. 
The  meaning  doubtless  is  Lee,  Deane,  Franklin." 


334  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

The  memorable  treaty  was  signed  on  the  5th  of 
February,  1778.  It  was  stated  that  the  object  of 
the  treaty  was  to  establish  the  independence  of  the 
United  States,  and  that  neither  party  should  con 
clude  either  truce  or  peace  with  England,  without 
the  consent  of  the  other. 

Tidings  of  the  treaty,  which  for  a  short  time  was 
kept  secret,  had  been  whispered  in  England,  caus 
ing  intense  excitement.  On  the  I7th  -of  February, 
1778,  the  House  of  Parliament  was  crowded.  Lord 
North,  amid  breathless  silence,  presented  a  "  Con 
ciliation  Bill,"  granting  •  everything  which  Frank 
lin  had  demanded.  Fox,  who  was  in  the  Op 
position,  arose  and  announced  the  treaty.  "  The 
astonishment,"  writes  Walpole,  "  was  totally  inde 
scribable." 

Soon  the  fact, of  the  treaty  of  alliance, was  form 
ally  announced  in  France.  The  American  envoys 
were  invited  to  an  audience  with  the  king.  Frank 
lin  was  richly  dressed.  His  hair  was  carefully  ar 
ranged  by  a  French  perruquier.  He  wore  an  admira 
bly  fitting  suit  of  plain,  black,  silk  velvet.  Ruffles  of 
elaborate  embroidery  and  snowy  whiteness  adorned 
his  wrists  and  bosom.  White  silk  stockings  aided 
in  displaying  the  perfect  proportions  of  his  frame. 
Large  silver  buckles  were  on  his  shoes. 

No  one  could  accuse  him  of  failing  in  due  respect 


THE  STRUGGLES   OF  DIPLOMACY.  335 

for  the  king,  by  appearing  in  his  presence  in  slat 
ternly  dress.  His  costume  was  superb,  and  was  such 
as  was  then  worn,  on  important  occasions,  by  Amer 
ican  gentlemen  of  the  highest  rank.  The  audience 
took  place  at  Versailles,  on  the  morning  of  the  2Oth 
of  March.  Each  of  the  American  envoys  rode  in 
his  own  carriage,  attended  by  the  usual  retinue  of 
servants.  On  the  way  they  were  cheered  with  the 
utmost  enthusiasm  by  the  crowd.  The  king,  Louis 
XVI.,  received  them  with  extreme  courtesy,  and  the 
queen,  Marie  Antoinette,  was  marked  in  her  atten 
tions  to  Franklin.  The  British  ambassador,  Lord 
Stormont,  was  so  enraged,  that,  regardless  of  all  the 
claims  of  courtesy,  he  immediately  returned  to  Eng 
land,  without  even  taking  leave  of  the  king. 

Who  can'  describe  the  exultation,  the  rapture, 
the  tears,  with  which  these  tidings  were  received  by 
the  patriots  of  America.  On  the  6th  of  May,  George 
Washington  drew  up  his  little  band  at  Valley  Forge, 
to  announce  the  great  event,  and  to  offer  to  God 
prayers  and  thanksgivings.  The  tone  of  the  Eng 
lish  was  immediately  changed.  They  abandoned 
threats  and  tried  the  effect  of  entreaties.  Several 
emissaries,  from  the  government,  approached  Dr. 
Franklin,  all  bearing  in  substance  the  same  message. 
They  said, 

"  We  cannot  endure  the  thought  that  our  beloved 


336  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

colonists  should  enter  into  alliance  with  our  hered 
itary  natural  enemy,  France.  Can  you,  who  are 
Protestants,  consent  to  unite  with  a  nation  of  Ro 
man  Catholics?  If  you  will  remain  firm  in  your 
adhesion  to  England,  we  will  grant  you  all  you  ever 
wished  for,,  and  even  more.  But  <Jo  not  forsake 
your  mother  country  to  swell  the  pride  and  power 
of  perfidious  France/' 

But  all  these  efforts  were  unavailing.  The  col 
onists  began  to  despise  England.  They  had  no  wish 
for  war  with  their  unnatural  parent,  and  they  knew 
that  their  independence  was  assured ;  and  that  no 
efforts  which  England  could  possibly  make,  could 
now  prevent  it.  All  alike  felt  disposed  to  spurn  the 
bribes  which  England  so  lavishly  offered. 

A  very  extraordinary  letter  was  sent  to  Dr. 
Franklin,  which  was  signed,  Charles  de  Wissenstein. 
Franklin,  who  was  accustomed  to  sifting  evidence, 
became  satisfied  that  the  message  came  from  king 
George  III.  himself.  The  letter  declared  that  the 
perfidious  French  would  certainly  deceive  the  Amer 
icans  with  false  promises,  and  defraud  them.  After 
making  the  most  liberal  offers  of  popular  rights,  if  the 
Americans  would  continue  to  remain  colonists  under 
the  British  crown,  the  document  presented  the  fol 
lowing  extraordinary  promise  to  those  American  pa 
triots  whom  England  had  denounced  as  traitors,  and 


THE  STRUGGLES   OF  DIPLOMACY.  337 

doomed  to  be  hung.  It  was  deemed  a  bribe  which 
human  virtue  could  not  resist. 

"  As  it  is  unreasonable  that  their  (the  American 
patriots)  services  to  their  country  should  deprive 
them  of  those  advantages  which  their  talents  would 
otherwise  have  gained  them,  the  following  persons 
shall  have  offices  or  pensions  for  life,  at  their  option, 
namely,  Franklin,  Washington,  Adams,  Hancock,  etc. 
In  case  his  Majesty,  or  his  successors,  should  ever 
create  American  peers,  then  those  persons,  or  their 
descendants,  shall  be  among  the  first  created  if  they 
choose  it." 

Franklin,  after  conference  with  his  colleagues, 
replied  to  the  letter.  His  soul  was  all  on  fire  with 
the  insults  our  country  had  received,  and  the  wrongs 
she  had  endured.  He  wrote  as  if  personally  address 
ing  the  king.  We  can  only  give  the  concluding 
paragraph.  After  stating  that  the  independence  of 
America  was  secured,  that  all  attempts  of  England 
to  prevent  it  would  be  impotent,  and  that  conse 
quently  it  was  quite  a  matter  of  indifference  to  the 
Americans  whether  England  acknowledged  it  or 
not,  he  wrote,* 

*  In  reference  to  the  promises  contained  in  the  letter,  Franklin 
referred  to  a  book  which  it  was  said  George  III.  had  carefully  studied, 
called  Arcana  Imperil,  A  prince,  to  appease  a  revolt,  had  promised 
indemnity  to  the  revolters.  The  question  was  submitted  to  the 


338  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

"  This  proposition,  of  delivering  ourselves  bound 
and  gagged,  ready  for  hanging,  without  even  a 
right  to  complain,  and  without  a  friend  to  be  found 
afterward  among  all  mankind,  you  would  have  us 
embrace  upon  the  faith  of  an  Act  of  Parliament. 
Good  God  !  an  act  of  your  Parliament.  This  de 
monstrates  that  you  do  not  yet  know  us ;  and  that 
you  fancy  that  we  do  not  know  you.  But  it  is  not 
merely  this  flimsy  faith  that  we  are  to  act  upon. 
You  offer  us  hope,  the  hope  of  PLACES,  PENSIONS 
and  PEERAGES. 

"  These,  judging  from  yourselves,  you  think  are 
motives  irresistible.  This  offer  to  corrupt  us,  sir,  is 
with  me,  your  credential  ;  and  convinces  me  that 
you  are  not  a  private  volunteer  in  your  application. 
It  bears  the  stamp  of  British  Court  character.  It  is 
even  the  signature  of  your  king.  But  think,  for  a 
moment,  in  what  light  it  must  be  viewed  in  America. 

"  By  PLACES,  you  mean  places  among  us ;  for 
you  take  care,  by  a  special  article,  to  secure  your 
own  to  yourselves.  We  must  then  pay  the  salaries 
in  order  to  enrich  ourselves  with  those  places.  But 
you  will  give  us  PENSIONS,  probably  to  be  paid  too 

keepers  of  the  king's  conscience,  whether  he  were  bound  to  keep  his 
promises.     The  reply  was, 

"  No  !  It  was  right  to  make  the  promises,  because  the  revolt 
could  not  otherwise  be  suppressed.  It  would  be  wrong  to  keep  them, 
because  revolters  ought  to  be  punished." 


THE   STRUGGLES   OF  DIPLOMACY.  339 

out  of  your  expected  American  revenue,  and  which 
none  of  us  can  accept  without  deserving,  and  per 
haps  obtaining,  suspension. 

"  PEERAGES  !  Alas  !  in  our  long  observation  of 
the  vast  servile  majority  of  your  peers,  voting  con 
stantly  for  every  measure  proposed  by  a  minister, 
however  weak  or  wicked,  leaves  us  small  respect  for 
that  title.  We  consider  it  as  a  sort  of  tar-and- 
feather  honor,  or  a  mixture  of  foulness  and  folly, 
which  every  man  among  us,  who  should  accept  it 
from  your  king,  would  be  obliged  to  renounce,  or 
exchange  for  that  confessed  by  the  mobs  of  their 
own  country,  or  wear  it  with  everlasting  infamy."  * 

In  the  spring  of  1778,  Paul  Jones  entered  upon 
his  brilliant  career,  bidding  defiance,  with  his  infant 
fleet,  to  all  the  naval  power  of  Great  Britain,  agita 
ting  entire  England  with  the  terror  of  his  name. 
Franklin  was  his  affectionate  friend,  and,  in  all  his 
many  trials,  he  leaned  upon  Franklin  for  sympathy. 
So  tremendously  was  he  maligned  by  the  English 
press,  that  American  historians,  unconsciously  thus 
influenced,  have  never  done  him  justice.  As  a 
patriot,  and  a  noble  man,  he  deserves  to  take  rank 
with  his  friends,  Washington  and  Franklin. 

In  1/79,  Lafayette,  returning  to  France,  from 
America,  brought  the  news  that  Franklin  was  ap- 

*  Sparks'  Franklin,  vol.  iii,  p.  278. 


340  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

pointed  by  Congress  as  sole  plenipotentiary  of  the 
new  nation  of  the  United  States,  to  the  gener 
ous  kingdom,  which  had  acknowledged  our  inde 
pendence,  and  whose  fleets  and  armies  were  now 
united  with  ours.  All  France  rejoiced.  With 
great  eclat  the  new  ambassadors  were  presented  to 
the  king. 

No  man  of  force  of  character  can  escape  having 
enemies.  Franklin  had  many  and  bitter  ones.  A 
cabal  plotted  the  removal  of  his  excellent  grandson, 
William  Temple  Franklin.  It  gives  us  an  insight 
to  the  heart  of  this  venerable  septuagenarian  to 
read  from  his  pen, 

"  It  is  enough  that  I  have  lost  my  son.  Would 
they  add  my  grandson.  An  old  man  of  seventy,  I 
undertook  a  winter  voyage,  at  the  command  of 
Congress,  with  no  other  attendant  to  take  care 
of  me.  I  am  continued  here,  in  a  foreign  country, 
where,  if  I  am  sick,  his  filial  attention  comforts  me. 
And  if  I  die,  I  have  a  child  to  close  my  eyes  and 
take  care  of  my  remains.  His  dutiful  behavior 
toward  me,  and  his  diligence  and  fidelity  in  busi 
ness,  are  both  pleasing  and  useful  to  me.  His  con 
duct,  as  my  private  secretary,  has  been  unexception 
able  ;  and  I  am  confident  the  Congress  will  never 
think  of  separating  us." 

Franklin's   great    endeavor   now   was  to  obtain 


THE   STRUGGLES   OF  DIPLOMACY.  341 

money.  Without  it  we  could  have  neither  fleet  nor 
army.  The  treasury  of  France  was  empty,  almost 
to  bankruptcy.  Never  did  he  struggle  against 
greater  obstacles  than  during  the  next  three  years. 
It  has  been  truly  said,  that  Franklin,  without  in 
tending  it,  helped  to  bleed  the  French  monarchy  to 
death.  In  addition  to  the  employment  of  both 
army  and  navy,  the  French  government  conferred 
upon  Congress,  in  gifts  or  loans,  the  sum  of  twenty- 
six  million  francs. 

The  French  troops  were  received  in  America 
with  boundless  enthusiasm.  Their  discipline  was 
admirable.  Their  respect  for  the  rights  of  property 
was  such,  that  not  a  barn,  orchard  or  hen-roost  was 
robbed. 

John  Adams  was  sent  to  join  Franklin,  to  aid 
him  in  framing  terms  of  peace,  whenever  England 
should  be  disposed  to  make  such  advances.  He 
was  a  man  of  great  abilities,  of  irreproachable  in 
tegrity,  but  he  had  inherited,  from  his  English 
ancestry,  not  only  repulsive  brusqueness,  but  also  a 
prejudice  against  the  French,  which  nothing  could 
remove.  His  want  of  courtesy ;  his  unconcealed 
assumption  that  France  was  acting  out  of  unmitiga 
ted  selfishness,  and  that  consequently  the  Americans 
owed  the  French  no  debt  of  gratitude,  often  caused 
Franklin  much  embarrassment.  This  blunt  man,  at 


342  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

one  time  wrote  so  uncourteous,  not  to  say  insult 
ing  a  letter,  to  M.  de  Vergennes,  that  the  French 
minister  declined  having  any  more  correspondence 
with  him.  Both  Franklin  and  Congress  condemned 
the  incivility  of  Mr.  Adams.  He  only  escaped  a 
motion  of  censure  from  the  full  conviction  of  Con 
gress  of  the  purity  of  his  patriotism,  and  of  his 
intentions.* 

Franklin  had  been » requested  to  forward  the  cor 
respondence  to  Congress.  As  in  duty  bound,  he  did 
so ;  accompanying  it  with  a  magnanimous  letter. 
Mr.  Adams  was  very  angry.  Every  impartial  reader 
will  admit  that,  in  this  embarrassing  affair,  Franklin 
conducted  with  delicacy  and  discretion.  The  Brit 
ish  troops  in  America  were  still  conducting  like  sav 
ages.  Congress  requested  Franklin  to  prepare  a 
school-book,  with  thirty-five  prints,  each  depicting 
one  or  more  of  the  acts  of  English  brutality.  The 
object  was  to  impress  the  minds  of  children  with  a 
deep  sense  of  the  insatiable  and  bloody  malice  with 
which  the  English  had  pursued  the  Americans. 
The  plan  was  never  executed. 

*  Mr.  Jefferson,  after  an  intimacy  of  seven  months  with  John 
Adams,  in  Paris,  wrote  of  him  :  "  He  is  vain,  irritable,  and  a  bad 
calculator  of  the  force  and  probable  effect  of  the  motives  which  gov 
ern  men.  This  is  all  the  ill  which  can  possibly  be  said  of  him.  He 
is  as  disinterested  as  the  Being  who  made  him." 


THE   STRUGGLES   OF   DIPLOMACY.  343 

In  the  year  1781,  Franklin,  then  seventy-five 
years  of  age,  and  having  been  engaged  in  public  ser 
vice  for  fifty  years,  wrote  to  Congress,  begging  per 
mission  to  retire  from  his  responsible  office.  Con 
gress  could  not  spare  his  services.  They  gave  him 
an  additional  appointment.  He  was  commissioned 
to  unite  with  Adams  and  Jay,  in  those  negotiations 
for  peace  which,  it  was  evident,  must  soon  take 
place. 

Franklin  loved  the  French,  he  could  smile  at 
their  foibles,  in  dressing  their  hair  so  that  they  could 
not  wear  a  hat,  but  were  compelled  to  carry  it 
under  their  arms  ;  also  in  filling  their  noses  with 
tobacco.  "  These/'  said  he,  "  are  mere  follies. 
There  is  nothing  wanting,  in  the  character  of  a 
Frenchman,  that  belongs  to  that  of  an  agreeable 
and  worthy  man." 

It  may  perhaps  be  mentioned,  as  a  defect  in  the 
character  of  Franklin,  that  when  in  France  he  could 
see  nothing  but  the  beautiful.  His  eye  was  turned 
from  every  revolting  spectacle.  In  the  society  of 
elegantly  dressed,  highly  educated,  refined  French 
ladies, — at  dinner  parties,  glittering  with  gold  and 
silver  plate, — in  social  intercourse  with  men  whose 
philosophical  attainments  were  of  the  highest  order, 
and  whose  politeness  of  speech  and  bearing  ren 
dered  them  delightful  companions,  Franklin  found 


344  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

his  time  and  thoughts  engrossed.  In  all  his  volumi 
nous  writings  we  find  no  allusion  to  those  tremen 
dous  wrongs,  which  Louis  XIV.  and  Louis  XV. 
had  entailed  upon  the  people, — wrongs  which  soon 
convulsed  society  with  the  volcanic  throes  of  the 
French  revolution. 

Jefferson,  who  succeeded  Franklin,  was  cast  in  a 
different  mould.  He  saw  and  fully  comprehended 
the  misery  under  which  the  millions  of  the  French 
peasantry  were  groaning.  And  this  led  him  to  the 
conviction,  that  no  people  could  be  safe,  unless  the 
government  were  placed  in  their  own  hands. 

Still  Franklin,  like  his  brother  deists,  Hume  and 
Voltaire,  seeing  how  impotent  were  all  the  motives 
they  could  urge  to  make  man  virtuous,  became 
thoroughly  disgusted  with  human  nature.  He  even 
went  beyond  Paul  in  his  description  of  the  hopeless 
depravity  of  man.  The  idea  of  reclaiming  him  by 
his  philosophy  was  abandoned  entirely.  Arid  yet 
he  was  not  prepared  to  embrace  that  gospel,  which 
the  experience  of  ages  has  proved  to  be  the  "  wis 
dom  of  God  and  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation." 

"  He  enlarges,"  writes  Mr.  Parton,  "  upon  this 
theme,  in  his  most  delightful  manner,  in  another 
letter  to  Dr.  Priestley."  In  this  letter  he  says  in  his 
usual  jocular  strain,  that  the  more  he  studies  the 
moral  part  of  nature  the  more  he  is  disgusted ;  that 


THE   STRUGGLES   OF  DIPLOMACY.  345 

he  finds  men  very  badly  constructed ;  that  they  are 
more  prone  to  do  evil  than  to  do  good  ;  that  they 
take  great  pleasure  in  killing  one  another,  and  that 
he  doubts  whether  the  species  is  worth  preserving. 
He  intimates  that  every  attempt  to  save  their  souls 
is  "  an  idle  amusement." 

"  As  you  grow  older,"  he  writes,  "  you  may  per 
haps  repent  of  having  murdered,  in  mephitic  air,  so 
many  nonest,  harmless  mice,  and  wish  that,  to  pre 
vent  mischief,  you  had  used  boys  and  girls  instead 
of  them." 

In  this  singular  letter  he  represents  a  young 
angel  having  been  sent  to  this  world,  under  the 
guidance  of  an  old  courier  spirit.  They  arrive  over 
the  seas  of  Martinico,  in  the  midst  of  the  horrible 
fight  between  the  fleets  of  Rodney  and  De  Grasse. 

"  When,"  he  writes,  "  through  the  clouds  of  smoke, 
he  (the  young  angel)  saw  the  fire  of  the  guns,  the 
decks  covered  with  mangled  limbs  and  bodies,  dead 
or  dying ;  the  ships  sinking,  burning,  or  blown  into 
the  air  ;  and  the  quantity  of  pain,  misery  and  destruc 
tion  the  crews,  yet  alive,  were  with  so  much  eager 
ness  dealing  round  to  one  another,  he  turned  angrily 
to  his  guide  and  said, 

"  '  You  blundering  blockhead  ;  you  are  ignorant 
of  your  business.  You  undertook  to  conduct  me  to 
the  earth ;  and  you  have  brought  me  into  hell.' 


346  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

"  '  No  sir/  said  the  guide,  '  I  have  made  no  such 
mistake.  This  is  really  the  earth,  and  these  are  men. 
Devils  never  treat  one  another  in  this  cruel  manner. 
They  have  more  sense,  and  more  of  what  men  (vainly) 
call  humanity.' " 

It  was  after  the  study  of  human  nature,  under 
the  most  favorable  of  possible  circumstances,  for 
more  than  three-quarters  of  a  century,  that  this  phi 
losopher  wrote  these  terrible  comments  upon  our 
fallen  race. 

The  latter  part  of  October,  1781,  Lord  Corn- 
wallis  surrendered  his  whole  army,  of  over  seven 
thousand  men,  at  Yorktown.  The  French  fleet  cut 
off  his  escape  by  sea.  Seven  thousand  French 
soldiers,  united  with  five  thousand  American  troops, 
prevented  any  retreat  by  land.  The  Americans 
had  thus  captured  two  British  arjnies.  It  was  in 
vain  for  England  to  think  of  sending  a  third.  The 
conflict  was  virtually  decided. 

"  The  Prime  Minister,"  Lord  North,  it  is  said, 
"  received  the  tidings  as  he  would  have  taken  a  ball 
in  his  breast.  He  threw  his  arms  apart.  He  paced 
wildly  up  and  down  the  room,  exclaiming,  from  time 
to  time,  '  Oh  God  !  it  is  all  over.'  " 

All  England  now  was  clamoring  against  the  war. 
Thousands  of  persons  had  perished  in  the  cam 
paigns,  and  financial  embarrassments  had  come  to 


THE   STRUGGLES   OF    DIPLOMACY.  347 

nearly  all  her  institutions  of  industry.  The  English 
government  made  vigorous  endeavors,  offering  great 
bribes,  to  induce  the  American  envoys  at  Paris  to 
abandon  their  French  allies,  and  make  a  separate 
peace.  Franklin  wrote  to  Mr.  Hartley,  through 
whom  he  received  these  proposals, 

"  I  believe  there  is  not  a  man  in  America,  a  few 
English  tories  excepted,  that  would  not  spurn  the 
thought  of  deserting  a  noble  and  generous  friend, 
for  the  sake  of  a  truce  with  an  unjust  and  cruel 
enemy." 

British  diplomacy  tried  alt  its  arts  of  intrigue  to 
separate  America  from  France  in  the  negotiations 
for  peace,  but  all  in  vain.  The  British  minister,  Mr. 
Grenville,  in  an  interview  with  Mr.  Franklin,  ridi 
culed  the  idea  that  America  owed  France  any  grati 
tude,  urging  that  France  sought  only  her  own  selfish 
interests. 

"  I  told  him,"  Franklin  writes,  "  that  I  was  so 
strongly  impressed  with  the  kind  assistance  afforded 
us  by  France,  in  our  distress,  and  the  generous  and 
noble  manner  in  which  it  was  granted,  without  ex 
acting  or  stipulating 'for  a  single  privilege,  or  particu 
lar  advantage  to  herself  in  our  commerce  or  other 
wise,  that  I  could  never  suffer  myself  to  think  of 
such  reasonings  for  lessening  the  obligation." 

On  the  28th  of  February,    1782,   General  Con- 


BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

way,  one  of  the  leaders  of  the  Opposition,  the  same 
who  had  moved  the  repeal  of  the  stamp  act,  seven 
teen  years  before,  presented  a  resolution  in  the 
House  of  Commons  that, 

"  THE    REDUCTION    OF    THE    COLONIES    BY    FORCE 
OF  ARMS   IS   IMPRACTICABLE." 

A  violent,  even  fierce  'debate  ensued,  which  was 
continued  until  one  o'  clock  in  the  morning.  Then  the 
cry  of  question  became  general.  The  vote  was  carried 
by  a  majority  of  nineteen.  This  terminated  the 
American  war.  The  people  of  England  had  decided 
against  it.  "  Acclamations,"  writes  Wraxall,  "  pierced 
the  roof,  and  might  have  been  heard  in  Westminster 
Hall." 

This  great  victory  was  followed  by  another  re 
solve.  It  was  an  address  to  George  III.  soliciting  him 
to  "  Stop  the  prosecution  of  any  further  hostilities 
against  the  revolted  colonies,  for  the  purpose  of  re 
ducing  them  to  obedience  by  force." 

Notwithstanding  the  lateness  of  the  hour,  these 
votes  were  immediately  communicated  to  the  king, 
who  was  in  a  pitiable  condition,  aged,  nearly  blind, 
half  crazed,  and  stubborn  even  to  insanity,  in 
his  determination  to  subjugate  the  Americans. 
The  poor  old  man,  in  his  rage,  threatened  to  aban 
don  England,  to  renounce  the  crown,  and  to 


THE  STRUGGLES   OF  DIPLOMACY.  349 

cloister  himself  in  his  estate  of  Hanover.  He  was 
however  compelled  to  yield,  to  dismiss  his  tory  min 
isters  and  to  accept  a  whig  cabinet.  Edmund  Burke 
wrote  a  warm,  congratulatory  letter  to  Franklin.  * 

And  now  the  final  struggle  arose  respecting  the 
terms  of  peace.  The  three  great  questions  discussed, 
as  diplomatic  arrangements,  were  gradually  and  very 
cautiously  entered  into,  were:  I.  What  shall  be  the 
boundaries  of  the  United  States.  2.  Shall  the 
Americans  be  allowed  to  fish  on  the  great  banks.  3. 
What  provision  shall  be  made  for  the  tories  in 
America,  whose  estates  have  been  confiscated  ? 

There  were  many  preliminary  meetings,  private, 
semi-official,  and  official.  There  was  a  general 
impression  that  Franklin  was  the  man  whose  opinion 
would  entirely  control  that  of  his  countrymen.  He 
was  approached  in  every  way,  and  the  utmost  en 
deavors  were  made  to  induce  the  American  Com 
missioners  to  enter  into  a  private  treaty,  without 
consulting  the  French  ministry. 

A  full  account  of  the  diplomatic  conflict  which 
ensued,  would  fill  a  volume.  On  one  occasion  the 
British  minister,  Mr.  Grenville,  said, 

"  In  case  England  grants  America  Independence." 

The   French  minister,  M.  de  Vergennes,  smiled 

*  Edmund  Burke  wrote  to  Dr.  Franklin  that  "  The  motion  was 
the  declaration  of  two  hundred  and  thirty  four  members  ;  but  it  was 
the  opinion,  he  thought,  of  the  whole  house." 


350  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

and  said,  "  America  has  already  won  her  Independ 
ence.  She  does  not  ask  it  of  you.  There  is  Dr. 
Franklin  ;  he  will  answer  you  on  that  point." 

"  To  be  sure,"  Franklin  said,  "  we  do  not  con 
sider  it  necessary  to  bargain  for  that  which  is  our 
own.  We  have  bought  our  Independence  at  the 
expense  of  much  blood  and  treasure,  and  are  in  full 
possession  of  it." 

Many  of  these  preliminary  interviews  took  place 
in  Paris.  The  amount  of  money  and  blood  which 
the  pugnacious  government  of  England  had  ex 
pended  in  totally  needless  wars,  can  not  be  com 
puted.  The  misery  with  which  those  wars  had 
deluged  this  unhappy  globe,  God  only  can  compre 
hend.  Mr.  Richard  Oswald,  a  retired  London  mer 
chant,  of  vast  wealth,  was  sent,  by  Lord  Shelburne, 
prime  minister,  as  a  confidential  messenger,  to  sound 
Dr.  Franklin.  He  was  frank  in  the  extreme. 

"  Peace,"  said  he,  "  is  absolutely  necessary  for 
England.  The  nation  has  been  foolishly  involved 
in  four  wars,  and  can  no  longer  raise  money  to  carry 
them  on.  If  continued,  it  will  be  absolutely  neces 
sary  to  stop  the  payment  of  interest  money  on  the 
public  debt." 

Mr.  Adams  and  Mr.  Jay  were  soon  associated 
with  Dr.  Franklin  in  these  negotiations.  Mr.  Jay 
was  in  entire  sympathy  with  Mr.  Adams  in  his  an- 


THE   STRUGGLES   OF  DIPLOMACY.  351 

tipathy  to  the  French.  They  both  assumed  that 
France  was  meanly  seeking  only  her  own  interests, 
making  use  of  America  simply  as  an  instrument  for 
the  accomplishment  of  her  selfish  purposes.* 

Dr.  Jared  Sparks,  after  carefully  examining,  in 
the  Office  of  Foreign  Affairs  in  London,  the  corre 
spondence  of  the  French  ministers  with  the  Ameri 
can  envoys,  during  the  whole  war,  writes, 

"  After  examining  the  subject,  with   all  the  care 
and  accuracy  which  these  means  of  information  have 
enabled  me  to  give  to  it,  I  am   prepared  to  express 
my  belief,  most  fully,  that  Mr.  Jay  was  mistaken, 
both  in  regard  to  the  aims  of  the  French  court  and  the 
plans  pursued  by  them  to  gain  their  supposed  ends."  f 
Mr.    Jay    was    so    insanely    suspicious    of    the 
French,  that  he  was  afraid  that  the  French  ministry 
would  send  spies,  to  pick  the  locks   in  his   lodgings, 
and    steal     his     important     papers.     He    therefore 
always  carried  them  about  his  person.     He  also  be 
lieved  that  Count  de  Vergennes   had  actually  pro 
posed    to    the    British    minister,    that   they   should 
unite   their   armies,    seize   the    United    States,  and 
divide  America  between  them. 

*  Mr.  Adams  wrote,  in  his  diary,  November,  1782,  "  Mr.  Jay 
don't  like  any  Frenchman.  The  Marquis  de  la  Fayette  is  clever, 
but  he  is  a  Frenchman." 

f  Diplomatic  Correspondence  of  the  American  Revolution,  V. 
viii,  p.  209. 


352  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

Such  were  the  colleagues  united  with  Franklin, 
in  the  negotiations  for  peace.  It  required  all  his 
consummate  wisdom  to  be  able  to  guide  affairs  wise 
ly  under  such  difficult  circumstances.  It  may  be 
doubted  whether  there  was  another  man  in  Amer 
ica,  who  could  have  surmounted  the  obstacles  over 
which  he  triumphed.  Both  of  Franklin's  colleagues 
regarded  him  with  suspicion.  They  believed  that 
he  had  been  won  over  to  such  sympathy  with  the 
French,  that  he  would  be  willing  to  sacrifice  the  in 
terests  of  his  own  country  to  please  them.  They 
wrote  letters  home  severely  denouncing  him  ;  and 
they  seemed  to  stand  more  in  fear  of  France  than  of 
England. 

"  Dr.  Franklin,"  wrote  Mr.  Adams,  "  is  very 
staunch  against  the  tories  ;  more  decided,  a  great 
deal,  upon  that  point,  than  Mr.  Jay  or  myself." 

The  British  ministers  insisted  that  the  confisca- 

» 

ted  estates  of  the  American  tories  should  be  restored 
to  them,  and  all  their  losses  reimbursed.  Frank 
lin  silenced  the  demand  by  drawing  from  his  pocket 
the  following  articles,  which  he  proposed  should  be 
added  to  the  treaty, 

"  It  is  agreed  that  his  Britannic  Majesty  will 
earnestly  recommend  it  to  his  Parliament,  to  pro 
vide  for  and  make  a  compensation  to  the  merchants 
and  shop-keepers  of  Boston,  whose  goods  and  mer- 


THE   STRUGGLES   OF  DIPLOMACY.  353 

chandise  were  seized  and  taken  out  of  their  stores, 
ware-houses  and  shops,  by  order  of  General  Gage, 
and  others  of  his  commanding  officers  there  ;  and 
also  to  the  inhabitants  of  Philadelphia  for  the  goods 
taken  away  by  his  army  there  ;  and  to  make  com 
pensation  also  for  the  tobacco,  rice,  indigo  and  ne 
groes  seized  and  carried  off  by  his  armies,  under 
Generals  Arnold,  Cornwallis  and  others,  from  the 
States  of  Virginia,  North  and  South  Carolina  and 
Georgia,  and  for  all  the  vessels  and  cargoes  belong 
ing  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  said  United  States, 
which  were  stopped,  seized  or  taken,  either  in  the 
ports  or  on  the  seas,  by  his  governors  or  by  his  ships 
of  war,  before  the  declaration  of  war  against  the 
United  States.  And  it  is  further  agreed  that  his 
Britannic  Majesty  will  also  earnestly  recommend  it 
to  his  Parliament  to  make  compensation  for  all  the 
towns,  villages  and  farms,  burnt  and  destroyed  by 
his  troops,  or  adherents  in  these  United  States." 

The  three  British  commissioners  were  confounded 
by  these  counter  demands,  and  said  not  another 
word  about  reimbursing  the  American  tories.  On 
the  3<Dth  of  November,  1782,  the  preliminaries  were 
signed,  subject  to  the  assent  of  the  French  ministers, 
who  were  also  to  submit  their  preliminaries  to  the 
American  envoys.  By  these  articles  :  I.  The  bound 
aries  were  established.  2.  The  Americans  could 


354  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

fish  on  the  banks  of  Newfoundland,  and  cure  their 
fish  on  the  unsettled  shores  of  Nova  Scotia  and 
Labrador.  3.  Congress  was  to  recommend  to  the 
several  States,  to  restore  the  confiscated  property  of- 
real  British  subjects.  4.  Private  debts  were  to  be 
paid.  5.  There  were  to  be  no  more  confiscations  or 
prosecutions,  on  either  sicle,  for  acts  during  the  war. 
6.  The  British  troops  were  to  be  withdrawn.  7.  The 
navigation  of  the  Mississippi  was  declared  to  be 
free.  8.  And  any  place  captured,  after  the  signing 
of  these  articles,  was  to  be  restored. 

On  the  1 3th  of  January,  Count  de  Vergennes, 
and  the  British  minister  Mr.  Fitzherbert,  signed  their 
preliminaries  in  the  presence  of  Dr.  Franklin  and 
Mr.  Adams.  Not  till  then  did  the  English  order 
hostilities  to  be  suspended,  and  declare  the  senseless 
war  to  be  at  an  end. 

There  was  universal  satisfaction  in  America. 
With  the  exception  of  the  king  and  a  few  of  his  min 
isters,  there  was  general  satisfaction  in  England.  It 
is  true  that  the  national  pride  was  sorely  humiliated. 
But  after  all  these  woes  which  England  had  inflicted 
upon  America,  her  own  statesmen,  with  almost  un 
divided  voice,  declared  that  the  interests  of  both 
nations  were  alike  promoted, by  having  a  few  feeble 
colonies  elevated  into  the  rich  and  flourishing  repub 
lic  of  the  United  States.  Thus  the  war  of  the 


THE   STRUGGLES   OF   DIPLOMACY.  355 

American  revolution  must  be  pronounced  to  have 
been,  on  the  part  of  England,  which  forced  it,  one  of 
the  most  disastrous  and  senseless  of  those  blunders 
which  have  ever  accompanied  the  progress  of  our 
race.* 

*  Contemplate  the  still  greater  blunder  of  our  civil  war.  It  was 
forced  upon  the  nation  by  the  slave  traders,  that  they  might  perpetuate 
slavery.  And  now  after  the  infliction  of  woes  which  no  finite  imagi 
nation  can  gauge,  these  very  slave  holders  declare  with  one  voice,  that 
nothing  would  induce  them  to  reinstate  the  execrable  institution.  How 
much  misery  would  have  been  averted,  and  what  a  comparative  para 
dise  would  our  southern  country  now  have  been,  if  before,  instead  of 
after  the  war,  the  oppressed  had  been  allowed  to  go  free  ! 


CHAPTER  XV. 

Life's  Closing  Scenes. 

Advice  to  Thomas  Paine — Scenes  at  Passy — Journey  to  the  Coast — 
Return  to  America — Elected  Governor  of  Pennsylvania — Attends 
the  Constitutional  Convention — Proposes  prayers — Remarkable 
speech — Letter  to  Dr.  Stiles — Christ  on  the  Cross — Last  sick 
ness  and  death. 

ABOUT  this  time  some  one,  knowing  Dr.  Frank 
lin's  deistical  views,  presented,  for  his  opinion,  a 
treatise  denouncing  the  idea,  that  there  was  any 
God,  who  manifested  any  interest  in  the  affairs  of 
men,  that  there  was  any  Particular  Providence. 
Though  Franklin  did  not  accept  the  idea,  that  Jesus 
Christ  was  a  divine  messenger,  and  that  the  Bible 
was  a  supernatural  revelation  of  God's  will,  he  cer 
tainly  did  not,  in  his  latter  years,  deny  that  there 
was  a  God,  who  superintended  the  affairs  of  this  world, 
and  whom  it  was  proper  to  worship.  It  is  generally 
supposed  that  Thomas  Paine  was  the  author  of  this 
treatise,  and  that  it  was  a  portion  of  his  Age  of  Rea 
son.  Franklin,  in  his  memorable  reply,  wrote, 

"  I  have  read  your  manuscript  with  some  atten- 


LIFE'S  CLOSING  SCENES.  357 

tion.  By  the  argument  it  contains  against  a  particu 
lar  Providence,  though  you  allow  a  general  Provi 
dence,  you  strike  at  the  foundations  of  all  religion. 
For  without  the  belief  of  a  providence  that  takes 
cognizance  of,  guards  and  guides  and  may  favor  par 
ticular  persons,  there  is  no  motive  to  worship  a  deity, 
to  fear  his  displeasure  or  to  pray  for  his  protection. 
I  will  not  enter  into  any  discussion  of  your  principles, 
though  you  seem  to  desire  it.  At  present  I  shall 
only  give  you  my  opinion  that,  though  your  reason 
ings  are  subtile,  and  may  prevail  with  some  readers, 
you  will  not  succeed  so  as  to  change  the  general  sen 
timents  of  mankind  on  that  subject ;  and  the  conse 
quence  of  printing  this  piece  will  be,  a  great  deal  of 
odium  drawn  upon  yourself;  mischief  to  you  and  no 
benefit  to  others.  He  that  spits  against  the  wind, 
spits  in  his  own  face. 

"  I  would  advise  you,  therefore,  not  to  attempt 
unchaining  the  tiger,  but  to  burn  this  piece  before 
it  is  seen  by  any  other  person  ;  whereby  you  will 
save  yourself  a  great  deal  of  mortification,  by  the  ene 
mies  it  may  raise  against  you,  and  perhaps  a  good 
deal  of  regret  and  repentance.  If  men  are  so  wicked 
with  religion,  what  would  they  be  if  without  it." 

Franklin  testifies  to  the  remarkable  courtesy 
which  characterized  all  the  movements  of  the  French 
minister,  during  these  protracted  and  delicate  nego- 


358  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

tiations.  The  definitive  treaty  was  signed  on  the  3d 
of  September,  1783.  It  was  unanimously  ratified  by 
Congress  on  the  I4th  of  January,  1784.  The  king 
of  England  gave  it  his  signature  on  the  Qth  of  April. 
Thus  two  years  and  three  months  passed  between 
the  beginning  of  negotiations  and  the  conclusion  of 
the  treaty  of  peace. 

At  the  termination  of  the  war  crowds  of  English 
men  flocked  to  Paris.  Franklin  was  then  recognized 
as  incomparably  the  most  illustrious  man  on  the 
continent  of  Europe.  His  apartments  were  ever 
thronged  with  men  of  highest  note  from  all  the  na 
tions.  He  was  then  seventy-eight  years  of  age,  suf 
fering  severely  from  the  gout  and  the  gravel.  He 
often  received  his  guests  in  his  bed  chamber,  sitting 
in  his  night  gown,  wrapped  in- flannels,  and  reclining 
on  a  pillow.  Yet  his  mind  retained  all  its  brilliance. 
All  who  saw  him  were  charmed.  Mr.  Baynes  wrote, 

"  Of  all  the  celebrated  persons  whom,  in  my  life, 
I  have  chanced  to  see,  Dr.  Franklin,  both  from  his 
appearance  and  his  conversation,  seemed  to  me  the 
most  remarkable.  His  venerable,  patriarchal  appear 
ance,  the  simplicity  of  his  manner  and  language,  and 
the  novelty  of  his  observations  impressed  me  as  one 
of  the  most  extraordinary  men  that  ever  existed." 

At  this  time  he  wrote  several  essays,  which  are 
esteemed  among  the  best  of  his  writings.  He  was 


LIFE'S  CLOSING  SCENES.  359 

awaiting  permission  from  Congress  to  return  to 
America.  His  son,  the  governor,  who  was  receiv 
ing  a  pension  of  eight  hundred  pounds  from  the 
British  Government,  came  over  from  England  to 
his  illustrious  father,  soliciting  reconciliation.  This 
was  after  the  separation  of  many  years.  Frank 
lin  responded  kindly,  though  he  said  that  nothing 
had  ever  wounded  him  so  keenly  as  to  find  himself 
deserted  in  his  old  age,  by  his  only  son ;  and  to  see 
him  taking  up  arms  against  a  cause,  upon  which  he 
had  staked  life,  fortune  and  honor. 

A  year  passed  before  Franklin  was  recalled.  He 
was  then  so  feeble  that  he  could  not  walk,  and  could 
only  ride  in  a  litter.  Mr.  Jefferson  succeeded  him. 
Upon  his  arrival  in  Paris,  the  Count  de  Vergennes 
said, 

"  You  replace  Dr.  Franklin,  I  understand." 

"No!"  Mr.  Jefferson  replied,  "  I  succeed  him. 
No  man  can  replace  him." 

Franklin's  infirmities  were  such  that  he  could  not 
call  upon  the  king  or  the  minister  for  an  audience 
of  leave.  He,  however,  wrote  to  Count  de  Ver 
gennes  a  very  grateful  and  affectionate  letter,  in 
which  he  said, 

"  May  I  beg  the  favor  of  you,  sir,  to  express  re 
spectfully  for  me,  to  his  majesty,  the  deep  sense  I 
have  of  all  the  inestimable  benefits  his  goodness 


360  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

has  conferred  on  my  country  ;  a  sentiment  that  it 
will  be  the  business  of  the  little  remainder  of  the  life 
now  left  me,  to  impress  equally  on  the  minds  of  all 
my  countrymen.  My  sincere  prayers  are  that  God 
may  shower  down  his  blessings  on  the  king,  the 
queen,  their  children  and  all  the  royal  family,  to  the 
latest  generations." 

The  reply  was  equally  cordial  and  affectionate. 
As  a  parting  gift  the  king  sent  Franklin  his  portrait, 
decorated  with  four  hundred  and  eight  diamonds. 
Its  estimated  value  was  ten  thousand  dollars. 

On  the  I2th  of  July,  1785,  Franklin,  accompanied 
by  many  admiring  friends  in  carriages,  commenced 
his  slow  journey  in  a  litter,  from  Passy  to  Havre. 
It  was  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon.  The  litter  was 
borne  by  two  mules.  The  first  night  they  stopped 
at  St.  Germain.  Thence  the  journey  was  continued 
at  the  rate  of  about  eighteen  miles  a  day.  The  mo 
tion  of  the  litter  did  not  seriously  incommode  him. 
The  cardinal  of  Rochefoucald,  archbishop  of  Rouen, 
insisted  upon  his  accepting  the  hospitality  of  his  man 
sion  at  Gaillon.  It  was  a  superb  chateau,  command 
ing  a  magnificent  prospect,  with  galleries  crowded 
with  paintings  and  the  most  valuable  works  of  art. 

"  The  cardinal,"  writes  Franklin,  "  is  much  re 
spected,  and  beloved  by  the  people  of  this  country ; 
bearing  in  all  respects,  a  most  excellent  character." 


LIFE'S  CLOSING  SCENES.  361 

Though  entreated  to  prolong  his  visit,  Franklin 
resumed  his  journey  at  an  early  hour  the  next  morn 
ing.  At  Rouen  he  was  again  received  with  the  most 
flattering  attentions.  The  elite  of  the  city  gave  a 
very  brilliant  supper  in  his  honor.  Thus  journeying 
in  a  truly  triumphant  march,  Franklin  reached  Havre 
on  the  i8th  of  July.  After  a  delay  of  three  days  he 
crossed  the  channel  to  Southampton.  His  old  friends 
came  in  crowds,  and  from  great  distances,  to  see  him. 
Even  the  British  government  had  the  courtesy  to 
send  an  order  exempting  his  effects  from  custom 
house  duties. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  Franklin  was  a  re 
markable  swimmer.  There  are  some  human  bodies 
much  more  buoyant  than  others.  He  records  the  sin 
gular  fact  that,  taking  a  warm,  salt  water  bath  here, 
he  fell  asleep  floating  on  his  back,  and  did  not  awake 
for  an  hour.  "  This/'  he  writes,  "  is  a  thing  which  I 
never  did  before,  and  would  hardly  have  thought 
possible." 

On  the  28th  of  July,  1785,  the  ship  spread  her 
sails.  The  voyage  lasted  seven  weeks.  This  extra 
ordinary  man,  then  seventy-nine  years  of  age,  wrote, 
on  the  passage,  three  essays,  which  are  estimated 
among  the  most  useful  and  able  of  any  which  ema 
nated  from  his  pen. 

On  the  1 3th  of  September  the  ship  entered  Del- 

Tfi 


362  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

aware  Bay,  and  the  next  morning  cast  anchor  oppo 
site  Philadelphia.  He  wrote, 

"  My  son-in-law  came  with  a  boat  for  us.  We 
landed  at  Market  street  wharf,  where  we  were  re 
ceived  by  a  crowd  of  people  with  huzzahs,  and  ac 
companied  with  acclamations,  quite  to  my  door. 
Found  my  family  well.  God  be  praised  and  thanked 
for  all  his  mercies." 

The  Assembly  was  in  session,  and  immediately 
voted  him  a  congratulatory  address.  Washington 
also  wrote  to  him  a  letter  of  cordial  welcome.  The 
long  sea  voyage  proved  very  beneficial  to  his  health. 
He  was  immediately  elected  to  the  Supreme  Execu 
tive,  and  was  chosen  chairman  of  that  body.  It  is  ev 
ident  that  he  was  gratified  by  this. token  of  popular 
regard.  He  wrote  to  a  friend, 

"  I  had  not  firmness  enough  to  resist  the  unan 
imous  desire  of  my  country  folk ;  and  I  find  myself 
harnessed  again  in  their  service  for  another  year. 
They  engrossed  the  prime  of  my  life.  They  have 
eaten  my  flesh  and  seem  resolved  now  to  pick  my 
bones." 

Soon  after  he  was  elected  President,  or  as  we 
should  now  say,  Governor  of  Pennsylvania.  The 
vote  rested  with  the  Executive  Council  and  the  As 
sembly,  seventy-seven  in  all.  He  received  seventy- 
six  votes.  Notwithstanding  the  ravages  of  war, 


LIFE'S  CLOSING  SCENES.  363 

peace  came  with  her  usual  blessings  in  her  hand. 
The  Tory  journals  of  England,  were  presenting  de 
plorable  views  of  the  ruin  of  the  country  since 
deprived  of  the  beneficial  government  of  the  British 
cabinet.  Franklin  wrote  to  his  old  friend,  David 
Hartley, 

"  Your  newspapers  are  filled  with  accounts  of 
distresses  and  miseries,  that  these  states  are  plunged 
into,  since  their  separation  from  Britain.  You  may 
believe  me  when  I  tell  you  that  there  is  no  truth  in 
those  accounts.  I  find  all  property  in  land  and 
houses,  augmented  vastly  in  value ;  that  of  houses 
in  town  at  least  four-fold.  The  crops  have  been 
plentiful ;  and  yet  the  produce  sells  high,  to  the 
great  profit  of  the  farmer.  Working  people  have 
plenty  of  employ,  and  high  pay  for  their  labor." 

There  were  many  imperfections  attending  the  old 
Confederacy.  In  the  year  1787,  a  convention  met 
in  Philadelphia,  to  frame  a  new  constitution.  There 
was  strong  opposition  to  this  movement.  Wash 
ington  and  Franklin  were  both  delegates.  Washing 
ton  took  the  chair.  The  good  nature  and  wisdom 
of  Franklin  ruled  the  house.  The  convention  met 
in  the  State  House.  Franklin,  eighty-one  years  of 
age,  was  regularly  in  his  seat,  five  hours  a  day,  for 
four  months.  He  was  thoroughly  democratic  in  his 
views,  and  opposed  every  measure  which  had  any 


364  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

tendency  to  extend  aristocratic  privilege.  He  had 
seen  that  the  British  government  was  in  the  hands 
of  the  nobles.  And  silent,  as  prudence  rendered  it 
necessary  for  him  to  be,  in  reference  to  the  arbitrary 
government  of  France,  he  could  not  but  see  that 
the  peasantry  were  subject  to  the  most  intolerable 
abuses.  This  led  him  to  detest  a  monarchy,  and  to 
do  every  thing  in  his  power  to  place  the  government 
of  this  country  in  the  hands  of  the  people. 

Much  time  was  occupied  in  deciding  upon  the 
terms  of  union  between  the  smaller  and  the  larger 
States.  It  will  be  remembered  that  this  was  the 
subject  of  very  excited  debates  in  the  convention 
of  1/76.  The  discussion  was  earnest,  often  acrimo 
nious.  Such  bitterness  of  feeling  was  engendered 
that,  for  some  time  it  was  feared  that  no  union  could 
be  effected. 

It  is  evident  that  Franklin,  as  he  approached  the 
grave,  became  more  devout,  and  that  he  lost  all  con 
fidence  in  the  powers  of  philosophical  speculations 
to  reform  or  regenerate  fallen  man.  He  saw  that 
the  interposition  of  a  divine  power  was  needed  to 
allay  the  intense  excitement  in  the  convention,  and 
to  lead  the  impassioned  members  to  act  under  the 
conviction  that  they  were  responsible  to  God.  On 
the  28th  of  June,  this  venerable,  patriarchal  man 
offered  the  following  memorable  resolve  : 


LIFE'S  CLOSING  SCENES.  365 

"  Resolved,  That  henceforth  prayers,  imploring1 
the  assistance  of  Heaven,  and  its  blessings  on  our 
deliberations,  be  held  in  the  Assembly  every  morn 
ing  before  we  proceed  to  business ;  and  that  one  or 
more  of  the  clergy  of  this  city  be  requested  to  offici 
ate  in  that  service." 

The  speech  which  accompanied  this  motion  will 
forever  be  conspicuous  in  our  annals.  He  said : 

"  Mr.  President !  The  small  progress  we  have 
made,  after  four  or  five  weeks  close  attendence  and 
continual  reasonings  with  each  other ;  our  different 
sentiments  on  almost  every  question,  is,  methinks,  a 
melancholy  proof  of  the  imperfection  of  the  human 
understanding. 

"  In  this  situation  of  this  Assembly  groping,  as 
it  were,  in  the  dark,  to  find  political  truth,  and  scarce 
able  to  distinguish  it  when  presented  to  us,  how  has 
it  happened,  sir,  that  we  have  not  yet  hitherto  once 
thought  of  humbly  applying  to  the  Father  of  Lights 
to  illuminate  our  understandings? 

"  In  the  beginning  of  the  contest  with  Britain, 
when  we  were  sensible  of  danger,  we  had  daily 
prayers,  in  this  room,  for  divine  protection  !  Our 
prayers,  sir,  were  heard,  and  they  were  graciously 
answered.  All  of  us,  who  were  engaged  in  the 
struggle,  must  have  observed  frequent  instances  of  a 
superintending  Providence  in  our  favor.  To  that 


366  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

kind  Providence  we,,  owe  this  happy  opportunity  of 
consulting,  in  peace,  on  the  means  of  establishing 
our  future  national  felicity.  And  have  we  now  for 
gotten  that  powerful  friend  ?  or  do  we  imagine  that 
we  no  longer  need  his  assistance  ? 

"  I  have  lived,  sir,  a  long  time.  And  the  longer 
I  live,  the  more  convincing  proofs  I  see  of  this  truth  ; 
T/iat  God  governs  in  the  affairs  of  men.  And  if  a 
sparrow  cannot  fall  to  the  ground  without  his  notice, 
is  it  probable  that  an  Empire  can  rise  without  his 
aid  ?  We  have  been  assured,  sir,  in  the  Sacred 
Writings,  that  '  except  the  Lord  build  the  house, 
they  labor  in  vain  that  build  it.'  J  firmly  believe 
this.  And  I  also  believe  that,  without  His  concur 
ring  aid,  we  shall  succeed  in  this  political  building,  no 
better  than  the  building  of  Babel." 

It  is  almost  incomprehensible  that,  under  the 
influence  of  such  an  appeal,  the  grea.t  majority  of  the 
Assembly  should  have  voted  against  seeking  divine  aid. 
In  a  note  appended  to  this  speech,  Franklin  writes, 

"  The  convention,  except  three  or  four  persons, 
thought  prayers  unnecessary."* 

*  Mr.  Parton  undoubtedly  suggested  the  true  reason  for  this 
strange  refusal  to  seek  divine  guidance.  He  writes, 

"I  think  it  not  improbable  that  the  cause  of  this  opposition  to  a 
proposal  so  seldom  negatived  in  the  United  States,  was  the  preva 
lence  in  the  Convention  of  the  French  tone  of  feeling  with  regard  to 
religious  observances.  If  so,  it  was  the  more  remarkable  to  see  the 
aged  Franklin,  who  was  a  deist  at  fifteen,  and  had  just  returned  from 


LIFE'S  CLOSING  SCENES.  367 

The  convention  came  to  a  triumphant  close,  early 
in  September,  1787.  Behind  the  speaker's  chair  there 
was  a  picture  of  the  Rising  Sun.  While  the  mem 
bers  were  signing,  Franklin  turned  to  Mr.  Madison, 
and  said, 

"  I  have  often,  in  the  course  of  the  session,  and 
the  vicissitudes  of  my  hopes  and  fears  as  to  its  issue, 
looked  at  the  picture  behind  the  President,  without 
being  able  to  tell  whether  the  sun  were  rising  or  set 
ting.  But  now  at  length,  I  have  the  happiness  to 
know  that  it  is  a  rising,  not  a  setting  sun. 

Washington  was  universally  revered.  Franklin 
was  both  revered  and  loved.  It  was  almost  the  uni 
versal  feeling  that,  next  to  Washington,  our  nation 
was  indebted  to  Franklin  for  its  Independence. 
Franklin  occupied,  in  the  arduous  field  of  diplomacy, 
the  position  which  Washington  occupied  at  the  head 
of  our  armies.  It  was  certain  that  Franklin  had,  at 
one  period  of  his  life,  entirely  renounced  his  belief  in 
Christianity,  as  a  divine  revelation.  His  Christian 
friends,  numbering  hundreds,  encouraged  by  some  of 
the  utterances  of  his  old  age,  were  anxious  to  know  if 
he  had  returned  to  the  faith  of  his  fathers.  Dr.  Ezra 
Stiles,  President  of  Yale  College,  was  a  friend  of 
Franklin's  of  many  years  standing.  When  the 

France,  coming  back  to  the  sentiments  of  his  ancestors." — Paiton'* 
Franklin  vol.  2,  p.  575. 


368  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

revered  patriot  had  reached  his  eighty-fifth  year,  Dr. 
Stiles  wrote,  soliciting  his  portrait  for  the  college 
library.  In  this  letter,  he  says, 

"  I  wish  to  know  the  opinion-  of  my  venerable 
friend,  concerning  Jesus  of  Nazareth.  He  will  not 
impute  this  to  impertinence;  or  improper  curiosity 
in  one,  who,  for  so  many  years,  has  continued  to 
love,  esteefti  and  reverence  his  abilities  and  literary 
character,  with  an  ardor  and  affection  bordering 
on  adoration." 

What  Dr.  Stiles,  and  the  community  in  general, 
wished  to  know  was,  whether  Dr.  Franklin  recog 
nized  the  Divine,  supernatural  origin  of  Christianity. 
Franklin  evaded  the  question.  This  evasion  of 
course  indicates  that  he  did  not  recognize,  in  the 
religion  of  Jesus,  the  authority  of,  "  Thus  saith  the 
Lord."  But  he  wished  to  avoid  wounding  the  feel 
ings  of  his  Christian  friends  by  this  avowal.  He 
wrote, 

"  This  is  my  creed.  I  believe  in  God,  the  Creator 
of  the  Universe ;  that  he  governs  it  by  his  Provi 
dence  ;  that  he  ought  to  worshiped  ;  that  the  most 
acceptable  service  we  render  to  him,  is  doing  good 
to  his  other  children  ;  that  the  soul  of'man  is  immor 
tal,  and  will  be  treated  with  justice  in  another  life, 
respecting  its  conduct  in  this.  These  I  take  to  be  fun 
damental  points  in  all  sound  religion,  and  I  regard 


LIFE'S  CLOSING  SCENES.  369 

them  as  you  do,  in  whatever  sect  I  meet  with 
them. 

"  As  to  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  my  opinion  of  whom 
you  particularly  desire,  I  think  his  system  of  morals 
and  his  religion,  as  he  left  them  to  us,  the  best  the 
world  ever  saw,  or  is  like  to  see.  But  I  apprehend  it 
has  received  various  corrupting  changes,  and  I  have, 
with  most  of  the  Dissenters  in  England,  some  doubts 
as  to  his  Divinity ;  though  it  is  a  question  I  do  not 
dogmatize  upon,  having  never  studied  it.  And  I 
think  it  needless  to  busy  myself  with  it  now,  when 
I  expect  soon  an  opportunity  of  knowing  the  truth 
with  less  trouble. 

"  I  see  however  no  harm  in  its  being  believed,  if 
that  belief  has  the  good  consequence,  as  probably  it 
has,  of  making  his  doctrines  more  respected  and  ob 
served  ;  especially  as  I  do  not  perceive  that  the 
Supreme  takes  it  amiss,  by  distinguishing  the  un 
believers  in  his  government  of  this  world,  with  any 
peculiar  marks  of  his  displeasure.  I  shall  only  add 
respecting  myself,  that,  having  experienced  the 
goodness  of  that  Being,  in  conducting  me  prosper 
ously  through  a  long  life,  I  have  no  doubt  of  its  con 
tinuance  in  the  next,  though  without  the  smallest 
conceit  of  meriting  such  goodness." 

He  then  adds  the  following  suggestive  postscript. 
"  I  confide  that  you  will  not  expose  me  to  criti- 


3/0  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN. 

cism  and  censures,  by  publishing  any  part  of  this 
communication  to  you.  I  have  ever  let  others  enjoy 
their  religious  sentiments,  without  reflecting  on 
them,  for  those  that  appeared  to  me  unsupportable, 
or  even  absurd.  All  sects  here,  and  we  have  a  great 
variety,  have  experienced  my  good  will,  in  assisting 
them  with  subscriptions  for  the  building  their  new 
places  of  worship.  And,  as  I  have  never  opposed 
any  of  their  doctrines,  I  hope  to  go  out  of  the 
world  in  peace  with  them  all." 

Much  of  his  time,  in  these  hours  of  sickness,  he 
employed  in  writing  his  Autobiography.  The  suffer 
ings  he  endured  were  at  times  very  severe.  But 
when  he  spoke  of  his  approaching  departure,  it  was 
with  composure.  At  one  time,  when  his  daughter 
expressed  the  wish  that  he  might  yet  live  many 
years,  he  replied  "  I  hope  not." 

A  clerical  friend  visited  him,  just  as  one  of  his 
paroxysms  of  pain  came  on.  As  his  friend  in  conse 
quence  was  about  to  retire,  he  said, 

"  Oh  no ;  don't  go  away.  These  pains  will  soon 
be  over.  They  are  for  my  good.  And  besides,  what 
are  the  pains  of  a  moment  in  comparison  with  the 
pleasures  of  eternity." 

There  was,  in  one  of  the  chambers  of  his  house, 
a  very  beautiful  painting  of  Christ  on  the  Cross.  He 
requested  his  nurse,  la  very  worthy  woman,  of  the 


LIFE'S  CLOSING  SCENES.  371 

Friends'  persuasion,  to  bring  it  down,  and  place  it 
directly  before  him.  The  Rev.  David  Ritter,  a  great 
admirer  of  Franklin,  called  to  see  him.  He  had, 
however,  but  a  few  moments  before,  breathed  his 
last.  Sarah  Humphries,  the  nurse,  invited  David 
into  the  chamber,  to  view  the  remains.  Mr.  Ritter 
expressed  surprise  in  seeing  the  picture  of  the 
Saviour  on  the  cross  occupying  so  conspicuous  a 
position,  saying,  "You  know,  Sarah,  that  many 
people  think  that  Dr.  Franklin  was  not  after  this  sort." 
"  Yes,"  she  replied,  "  but  thee  knows,  David,  that 
many  make  a  great  fuss  about  religion,  who  have 
very  little.  And  many,  who  say  but  little,  have  a 
good  deal.  He  was  never  satisfied,  if  a  day  passed 
away  unless  he  had  done  some  one  a  service.* 
Benjamin  Franklin  was  one  of  that  sort.  I  will  tell 
thee  how  the  picture  came  here.  Many  weeks  ago, 
as  he  lay,  he  beckoned  me  to  him,  and  told  me  of  this 
picture,  up  stairs,  and  begged  I  would  bring  it  to 
him.  I  brought  it.  His  face  brightened  up,  as  he 
looked  at  it,  and  he  said, 

*  This  reminds  us  of  the  exclamation  of  the  Emperor  Titus,  who,  at 
the  close  of  a  day  in  which  he  could  not  perceive  that  he  had  done 
any  good,  exclaimed,  sadly,  "  Perdidi  Diem."  I  have  lost  a  day. 
Beautifully  has  the  sentiment  been  expressed  in  the  words,  which  it 
would  be  well  for  all  to  treasure  up, 

"  Count  that  day  lost,  whose  low  descending  sun, 
Views  at  thy  hand  no  worthy  action  done." 


372  BENJAMIN   FRANKLIN. 

"  '  Ay  Sarah  ;  there  is  a  picture  worth  looking  at. 
That  is  the  picture  of  him  who  came  into  the  world 
to  teach  men  to  love  one  another/  " 

"  After  looking  at  it  wistfully  for  some  time,  he 
said,  '  Sarah,  set  this  picture  up  over  the  mantel-piece, 
right  before  me  as  I  lie.  I  like  to  look  at  it.' 

"  When  I  fixed  it  up  he  looked  at  it  very  much  ; 
and  indeed  died  with  his  eyes  fixed  upon  it." 

However  deeply  Franklin,  in  these  dying  hours 
may  have  pondered  the  sublimities  of  Immortality — 
the  Resurrection — the  Judgment  Throne — the  Final 
Verdict — Heaven — Hell, — he  was  very  reticent  re 
specting  those  themes.  We  certainly  see  none  of  the 
triumph  of  Paul,  and  of  thousands  of  others,  who 
have  in  varied  language,  expressed  the  sentiment  that, 

"  Jesus  can  make  a  dying  bed 
Feel  soft  as  downy  pillows  are." 

A  few  hours  before  his  death,  as  some  one  urged 
him  to  change  his  position,  that  he  might  breathe 
easier  he  replied,  "  a  dying  man  can  do  nothing 
easy."  These  were  his  last  words.  He  then  sank 
into  a  lethargy,  from  which  he  passed  into  that  sleep 
which  has  no  earthly  waking.  It  was  eleven  o'clock 
at  night,  April  17,  1790.  He  had  lived  eighty- four 
years,  three  months  and  eleven  days. 

But  no  candid  and  charitable  reader  can  peruse 
this  narrative,  without  the  admission  that  Benjamin 


LIFE'S  CLOSING  SCENES.  373 

Franklin,  notwithstanding  his  imperfections,  was  one 
of  the  wisest  and  best  of  all  the  fallen  children  of  Adam. 
From  his  dying  hour  to  the  present  day  his  memory 
has  been  justly  cherished  with  reverence  and  affec 
tion,  throughout  the  civilized  world.  And  there  is 
no  fear  that  this  verdict  will  ever  be  reversed. 


x> 


14  DAY  USE 

RETURN  TO  DESK  FROM  WHICH  BORROWED 

LOAN  DEPT. 

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